Corporate Complacency Toward Safety Programs

Companies, especially as the economy gets tighter, look for ways to save money. In far too many companies, safety training and compliance is still viewed as costly federal mandates, rather than a program with significant proven bottom-line savings. Both company management and the safety department itself have become complacent in the proper running of an effective safety program.

Companies see money going out for compliance training, but because of the disconnect with follow-through, they see no rewards of lower workers compensation costs and better work flow and thus higher production. A safety professional must show safety is a money saving program. Enlisting the help of your workers compensation insurance company to come up with a project that when implemented will result in a lower premium – perhaps something as simple as a Safety Committee. Start small with no cost to very low cost and time programs that have definite, measurable returns.

More and more companies see the benefits Lean and Six Sigma programs. Presenting a safety program in that context often will get approval. Or find someone that has presented this type of program and have them include you and some basic safety into their next project. (In my opinion, safety personnel should be included in all kaizen and other similar team activities.)

In many companies, management rarely has time to walk the production floor. A safety professional who presents an on-the-floor presence to keep safety in the fore-front can make a positive impression and effectively engage both line and middle management. Safety committees can possibly work for well in this area.

Supervisors and line employees need to be asked what safety ideas would help them in their day-to-day work. Be sure to follow through as quickly as possible. Many things can be done that again, have little costs associated with them. Maintaining an on-floor presence is perhaps the quickest cost effective way to lower lost-time accidents (one of the best measurable results a safety professional can have).

Again for safety to work, a safety professional must sell safety as more than dreaded mandates. Safety must become a proven, cost effective, measurable, results oriented program. There are significant savings to be had with a proactive safety program.

I would be interested in your thoughts and opinions on this article. Also I would especially like to find out if your safety department is viewed as a necessary evil for compliance purposes, or a value added program.