We found this model in the Professional Safety Journal (PSJ) of ASSE. This is a very good visual of the involvement of safety in an organization. In their article, PSJ references Bergersen by saying that "researchers believe that safety culture is a sub component of corporate culture that affects the safety and health of the group members and others outside of the group as well." The safety culture affects and is affected by other operational processes and systems within an organization.
Generative level: "Health and safety is how we do business around here." This is the highest level an organization can have. In this level, the organization places safety as a priority. The Professional Safety Journal states that "workplace safety is an important factor for organizations as it affects virtually all other elements of an organization, including production, quality, job satisfaction and expenses. As you can see, trust and accountability is the highest at this level. At the same time, employee empowerment is the highest at this level. In their article, PSJ says that empowering employees can be a difficult task for many top managers; "this is often the downfall to full employee trust and involvement, which will limit organizational culture development."
Proactive level: "We work on problems that we still find."
Calculative level: "We have systems in place to manage all hazards."
Reactive level: "Safety is important, we do a lot every time we have an accident."
Pathological level: "Who cares as long as we're not caught." This is the worse level an organization can be at. Here worker safety is completely disregarded and given no priority. Workers face dangerous and risky tasks every work day.
What do you think of this model? Do you think the safety culture of an organization is directly affected by other operational processes and systems within that particular organization?
Sources:
Turnbeaugh, Treasa M. "Improving Business Outcomes." Professional Safety Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers Mar. 2010: 41-43. Print.
1 comments:
I think models like this are very useful in understanding the development of safety culture. There is a similar one which discusses the culture in terms of dependence.
I believe the leadership in the organization, and more specifically the behaviors of the leaders, are the number one driver of safety culture. Behaviors demonstrate commitment much more than systems or process can. Behaviors create the "mythologies" in the organization, and it is these which eventually change people's culture and values.
Good article, nice and concise! Thanks.
Jamie
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