Involving employees in your Safety Program: It can make a difference!

An effective safety program requires commitment, leadership and involvement from all employees in a company. A company's safety programs should not only motivate employees but also involve them in the program. Thomas Krause, Ph.D., CEO of Behavioral Science Technology Inc., Ojai, Calif. says "Safety motivation for employees comes when they are connected with the work they are doing on an intellectual, emotional, creative and physical level. It has to have meaning for them in order to motivate them."

The more that employees are involved, the more that they will appreciate the potential hazards that exist at the work site. This will in turn, encourage workers to avoid unsafe behaviors, ultimately leading to strengthening the overall safety culture of the company (Professional Safety). Workers are often more willing to follow safety rules that they have helped create. Employees who are encouraged to offer their ideas and whose contributions are taken seriously are more satisfied and productive on the job (osha.gov).

The OSH Act states that workers have a vital role to play in identifying and correcting problems in their workplaces, working with their employers whenever possible. The OSHA Process Safety Management regulation (29 CFR 1910.119(c) states "Employers shall consult with employee on the conduct and development of process hazard analyses and on the development of other elements of process safety management." Worker input and involvement can result from common activities such as joint employer/ worker safety committee including hazard assessments, workplace inspections, accident investigations, record review, audits of chemicals and PPE use, and safety training.

A huge benefit from an active employee involvement safety program is the presence of a broad knowledge base, from both management and workers. This ensures that important facts, such as the true operation of work processes, are not omitted(Professional Safety). Individuals who are the most exposed to the hazards have the highest level of interest in reducing those hazards. This ensures that risk assesments are completed by the most-concerned workers. It is also important that senior managements respond promptly to concerns and suggestions raised by workers and to keep workers informed about the status of corrective action. If senior management fails to do this, employees may become discouraged and no longer trust management; this will defeat the purpose of the program to begin with. Employees must know that their concerns and suggestions will be taken seriously and that their suggestions won't be subject to reprisals. Once employees feel involved, their attitudes towards safety tend to improve. In the long run, this will benefit everyone in the company ranging from senior management to workers in the field.

Sources:
osha.gov
Sutcliffe, Virginia. "Motivating Employees for Safety Success." EHS Today. Oct. 2000. Web. 23 Nov. 2009.
Welborn, Cliff, and Carol Boraiko. "Proactive Safety." Professional Safety Oct. 2009: 37-39. Print.