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Reader Panel: Health and safety leadership |
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Written by Todd Phillips
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Monday, 20 August 2007 |
It starts at the top, but safety leadership
is a shared responsibilityWhen it comes to safety leadership, it’s the people at the top running the show that our readers say are responsible for leading the charge.
Our COS reader panelists also had lots of great ideas and opinions on the topic of safety leadership, and whether Canada’s safety leaders are doing a good enough job. The first question we posed was who was “mostly” in charge of safety leadership at their firm. Senior managers were picked first, but our reader panelists came in a close second, as they clearly feel they are front and center when it comes to safety in their firms.
1. Does the safety leadership in your firm come mostly from:
(27.9%) The top, senior management
(23.5%) You
(20.6%) Middle management, foremen, supervisors
(17.6%) The Joint Health and Safety Committee
(2.9%) The union leaders
(7.4%) Other
“Our accident rate is high and progressively getting worse. Our senior management talks the talk but when push comes to shove, production wins every time.”
“Senior management discuss safety at all meetings and recently supported and participated in full day safety culture session offered to all employees.”
“It has been my experience that you can have all of the required policies or procedures but they are not worth the paper they are printed on if management does not follow or enforce them.”
“Starting from the middle and working outward has been a challenge but I refuse to give up.”
“There is a lot of talk from upper management about how safety is first, but when it comes time to demonstrate that, the JHSC shows much more safety leadership.”
“Safety direction is a team effort and includes all of the parties noted in your statement.”
“There is a small group of OSH staff across the country and most everything is left to us.”
“Safety leadership comes mostly from me with the full support, cooperation and knowledge of my activities from senior management.”
“People are aware of the need for safety but as safety officer I am the champion of the cause and remind everyone of their roles.”
“Our senior management talks a big game, but doesn’t back up that talk with any action.”
“Our company does not believe safety regulations apply to them. It is production before safety because safety is too expensive.”
We received some thoughtful and eloquent responses when we asked our readers to define safety leadership. “What does safety leadership mean to you?”
“Safety leadership is making those around you safer and smarter.”
“Leadership means making a stand when it isn't easy.”
“Safety leadership is a mindset that is supported by deeds and words.”
“Everyone needs to say what they do and do what they say.”
“Safety leadership is taking the time and effort to make safety part of your every day life and helping others do this as well.”
“Safety leadership is uncompromising action in correcting safety infractions.”
“Walk the talk. Wear all safety equipment talk about safety to all management and hourly workers.”
“Promote, monitor and correct.”
“Safety leadership is taking the time to do the job safely even when it would be easier not to.”
“Never accepting what is questionable. Intervening to ensure safety 24/7.”
We then asked our reader panelists to let us know how companies could improve their safety leadership. The overwhelming first choice (88.2 per cent) was for these firms to fully integrate health and safety into all aspects of their operations. Readers also offered their own suggestions.
3.How can companies show more safety leadership? (Please check all that apply):
(88.2%) Fully integrate health and safety into all aspects of company operations
(64.7%) Make sure safe actions are rewarded and recognized
(63.2%) Ensure the company’s senior leaders always talk about safety
(63.2%) Get involved with safety and industry associations
(57.4%) Set up a strong health and safety committee and hold members accountable
(42.6%) Work with suppliers to help them improve their safety
(39.7%) Put up banners and signs promoting safe behaviour
(25.0%) Other
“Your choices are limited and do not reflect the broad range of what effective safety leadership can accomplish.”
“Monthly events/activities that revolve around safety. Safety week with slogans, games and prizes.”
“Attaching OHS to the job description and the bonus pay of senior managers.”
“Installing suggestions boxes for employees to make comments.”
“Show leadership by conducting unscheduled tours through the workplace, discussing safety with the workers to gauge their interest and knowledge about safety in their own workplace.”
“The recognition of safe behaviour is more effective than rewarding.”
“Put a health and safety statement into each and every job description ensuring everyone's role in the internal responsibility system.”
4. There are many people and organizations that are championing the cause of safety right across Canada. Many of these organizations, mostly not-for-profit groups, hold conferences and training, conduct research, lobby governments for improved standards and regulations, and provide a variety of other services. How well do you think these groups are doing at promoting health and safety in Canada?
(58.8%) Canada’s safety leaders are doing an adequate job
(20.6%) Canada’s safety leaders are doing a poor job
(19.1%) Canada’s safety leaders are doing an excellent job
(1.5%) Canada has safety leaders? I never see or hear from them
Please comment:
“Obviously the current model is not working, according to the rising statistics.”
“The organizations are doing an adequate job of promoting safety — to their members or to adherents of the safety profession. They are doing a poor job at reaching out past the safety community.”
“ There is not enough vision. A lot of whatis offered is just the same old stuff over and over.”
“Many times we see issues being driven by, media headlines and organizations with an agenda. Many are not for profit that want to become for profit.”
“Workers are still being injured at work. Until we have a clean slate, we are not doing an adequate job!”
“Safety leaders need to be innovative and more evident to the general worker.”
“The companies in Canada pay enough through their different taxes, all safety training should be free and structured in such a way so the training standards are the same.”
“Industry and labour must get on the same page and put aside their labour relation agendas and political rhetoric. Safety is about employees, whether they are management or non-management.”
“Other than a few organizations making a living on safety, most everything is focused into one week in the spring.”
“The work related accidents, permanent disabilities and fatalities speaks for itself. How could we claim to be doing anything other than a poor job?”
“What the safety community in Canada needs is one voice and uniform laws province to province and job to job.”
“More training should be offered at costs that are acceptable for small companies.”
“The Canadian Society of Safety Engineering is one of the best in promoting health and safety but even they tend to miss getting the message to the senior level decision makers.”
5. In April 2005, safety leaders launched the CEO Health and Safety Leadership Charter aimed to get CEOs to place safety high on their agenda, and to help achieve a Canada-wide breakthrough in health and safety performance. Have you heard of this initiative?
(For information visit: http://www.ceosafety.org/)
(48.5%) No, I haven’t heard about it
(38.2%) Yes, I’ve heard of this
(11.8%) Sounds vaguely familiar
6. Do you have any other comments to share on this topic?
“We need more initiatives like the Charter to move safety forward in Canada.”
“I found the information by accident. What type of initiatives have they implemented to make companies aware of their existence.”
“Our organization attended and even signed the charter but there was no follow up as to who would complete the survey or even from charter organization — seemed like a PR stunt.”
“Maybe if they took a different approach such as: ‘Do you know it is the law that your employer must provide a safe workplace? That they must do hazard assessments and mitigation? That the frontline workers should be involved in this process? That you have the obligation to refuse work that may cause an injury to yourself and any one else in the workplace?”
“In my 35-year career of health and safety, I’ve had the privilege of working for only two employers who functioned in the ‘Best Practice’ realm. The rest are mediocre at best.”
“I will be looking this up and passing the information along to my CEO.”
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