We also asked our readers about some of the frustrations they have with senior management, when it comes to safety. A significant number of respondents, 43 percent, say not paying enough attention to prevention is their biggest frustration with senior management.

Visibility is another issue for many of the respondents. More than 38 percent says senior management is spending too much time in the office and not enough on the shop floors. Lack of communication and more concern with production and profits rather than safety came out on third place, with 36 percent, citing them as one of their frustrations.

“Takes forever to upgrade, modify, purchase safety equipment. ‘Not from my budget!’ Until you hold them to task or HRSDC mandates it,” says one reader.

Another says management “establishes and approves appropriate policies but does not have a mechanism to ensure they are followed consistently across the organization.”

A respondent from senior management vents own frustration. “I have always been senior management. I have not always had the resources or the staff cooperation.”


What are some of the frustrations you have with senior management at your company? (Please check all that apply)
 
Not enough attention on prevention   
    43.4%   
Concerned more with production/profits than with safety   
    36.9%   
Fails to communicate effectively with employees   
    36.9%   
No accountability when it comes to workplace safety   
    41.8%   
Inaction on vital safety issues   
    23.8%   
Stays in their office too much, not visible on the shop floors   
    38.5%   
Lacks enforcement drive/turns a blind eye to safety risks   
    36.1%   


We then asked reader panel respondents to rate the role senior management has in influencing the way employees behave towards working safely. Over 50 percent of the readers say senior executives play a very important role by serving as good examples of safe work practices. Only nine percent say that senior management isn’t important for workplace safety, putting the responsibility on the workers, instead.

“Safety is tolerated when convenient. Never mind leadership. They are supposed to provide the tools, equipment and ability to use without recrimination. Certain individual managers do well. However, even simple stuff is met with resistance. Sometimes the workers don’t help their cause with some exotic wishes,” writes one reader.

Some respondents say it’s shared responsibility. “I believe it is a combination, management is responsible for matching the manpower to the workload and the employee has to follow the rules and do the majority of the training in the field.”


In your organization how much of a role does senior management play in influencing the way employees behave and perform work safely?
 
Very important: Employees work safely because their leaders ask them to and serve as good examples of safe work practices.   
    51.3%   
Less important: Employees work safely because they are concerned about their own safety, and leadership is just reinforcement.   
    39.1%   
Not important: Safety is a worker responsibility, not senior management.   
    9.6%   

More than three years had passed since the CEO Health and Safety Leadership Charter was launched, but still close to 60 percent of our respondents have never heard about the charter. More than 29 percent say they have heard about it.

Readers expressed interest in knowing more about the CEO Health and Safety Leadership Charter. “Our organization signed the charter, but there was never any follow up after, but the charter looks good in the frame.”

“It should have happened sooner. Senior Management at other companies I have worked for have turned a blind eye to health and safety in the workplace because of costs. I am so happy to have found a company with an owner and senior managers that put safety first, above all,” says one respondent.

In April 2005, the CEO Health and Safety Leadership Charter was launched, which aimed at getting CEOs more involved in safety at their workplace and give safety the executive attention it deserves. Have you heard about this initiative?
    
No, I haven’t heard about it   
    57.1%   
Yes, I’ve heard of this   
    29.5%   
Sounds vaguely familiar   
    13.5%


Other reader comments:

“Safety as a priority is communicated from the CEO level.”

“Lead by example in everything you do. Safety starts at the top and if you want it to be successful, everyone has to demonstrate safe behaviour. Eighty percent of people want to follow their leaders.”

“Safety must be top down-driven. There was a time at our site when management felt that safety was the responsibility of the safety director — not so any more. From the general manager down through the ranks, everyone has responsibility and it is as well included in our annual personal performance objectives.”

“Leadership means truly understanding the issues or hazards brought forward first and foremost. It means you are able to provide motivation, mentorship, be an influencer and a good communicator and a builder of people and teams. Leaders need to be supportive.”