Books : Assessing Safety and Health Management Programs : Leadership

Management Leadership and Employee Involvement

Leadership is looked upon as the outside influence that shapes corporate culture. Management should provide leadership that encourages workers within an organization to participate in the programs offered by the company, in this case, the safety and health program. The elements of a safety and health program can be broken into the following components:

A safety policy written and communicated to all employees.

A goal established and objectives developed.

Responsibilities are assigned.

Top management provides visible leadership.

Employees are involved and actively participate in the program.

Employees have the authority and resources to do the task.

Employees are held accountable for results.

The program results are evaluated and changes made for continuous improvement.

A1
SAFETY & HEALTH POLICY

A clear worksite safety and health policy allows employees to understand the importance of safety and health protection in relation to other organizational values such as quality and efficiency. Safety and health need to be corporate objectives, similar to sales and profits. Reducing compensation costs does have an immediate and extensive effect on the bottom line.

Policy statements signed by top management show that endorsement of the policy is from the top. A concern shown by top management for safety makes it easier for supervisors to carry out and enforce company policy, for the company to promote safe and healthful work practices, for employees to observe the stated policy, to purchase equipment that has been designed with safety features, and to maintain and repair equipment according to good engineering control and safety practices.

DO:

Develop a formal written policy statement in which the company declares its intent to provide a safe and healthful place of employment, which is signed by the business owner or other chief executive officer.

Hold a meeting with all employees to communicate your safety and health policy and discuss your objectives for safety and health for the rest of the year.

Post your policy and allow employees time to read and understand it.

Ensure that newly hired employees are impressed during their orientation with the idea that safety is an important part of their job.

Safety & Health Policy

KEY QUESTIONS	Maximum Points	Assigned Points
Has the owner (manager, president, etc.) expressed a positive attitude and commitment (policy) regarding safety and health?	1
Is management's safety attitude (policy) communicated to employees in writing, orally and/or by actions?	1
Do employees understand what the company priority is regarding a safe and healthful work environment in relation to other organizational values such as production and quality?	1
Does the policy actively promote management commitment and involvement and employee participation?	1
TOTAL POINTS	4

A2
SETTING A GOAL & DEVELOPING OBJECTIVES

You make your general safety and health policy specific by establishing a clear goal and objectives. These set the framework for assigning responsibility. Once a policy is developed, management should set a goal for safety and health, and then build objectives that will allow employees to reach the goal. The goal should be a realistic one, so as not to discourage employees from striving for the goal.

Once the goal is established, you can now set objectives and assign responsibilities. Set objectives based on performance measures and get others involved in establishing the objectives. Each employee should be able to see his or her work activities moving toward the goal, thus allowing them to meet the objectives.

DO:

Establish a numeric or descriptive goal to make your policy specific.

Identify objectives that are most important to your program goal which help you create an effective program.

Set objectives based on indicators, which tell you whether you did, or did not perform as expected.

Assign a person to carry out the activity indicated in the objective.

Discuss the goal and objectives with all employees through meetings, letters or postings.

SETTING A GOAL AND DEVELOPING OBJECTIVES

KEY QUESTIONS	Maximum Points	Assigned Points
Is a goal established (i.e. what you want to accomplish by establishing a safety and health program in the first place) and communicated to all employees?	1
Will the goal help you in achieving a safe and healthful workplace?	1
Is progress toward the goal tracked and monitored?	1
Are measurable objectives established which will lead to the desired results for a safety and health program?	1
Did employees participate in setting the objectives?	1
Do managers and supervisors have a clear idea of their objectives for worker safety and health?	1
Do the employees understand what the company does to ensure safe and healthful working conditions?	1
TOTAL POINTS	7

A3
ASSIGNING RESPONSIBILITY

Everyone should have some responsibility for safety and health in the workplace. It should be clearly understood by all employees what their responsibilities are in the workplace, and what discipline will be forthcoming if failure to carry out these responsibilities should occur. The employer should try to base responsibility on the goal and set objectives. This way everyone knows what the goal is, and will try to meet the objectives that were set. Put responsibilities in writing and specify responsible parties. Giving people responsibility and accountability for their actions instills a sense of pride, which will carry over in terms of wanting to have a good performance record.

DO:

Make clear assignments of responsibility for every element of the program you develop. Make certain that everyone understands them.

Ensure through a periodic audit that safety responsibilities are known and are being carried out.

Include safety responsibilities in the periodic employee review.

Hold all employees accountable for results.

Develop a positive way to reward good safety performance.

Assigning Responsibilities

KEY QUESTIONS	Maximum Points	Assigned Points
Are responsibilities in writing so that it is clear who is responsible for all the duties either specified or implied in the safety program?	1
Is every employee trained so that they are capable of operating safely and are held accountable for safety?	1
Are safety/health activities part of the performance appraisal?	1
Is someone responsible for safety in each department and on each shift?	1
TOTAL POINTS	4

A4
TOP MANAGEMENT PROVIDES
VISIBLE LEADERSHIP

If it is perceived by employees that management fully supports and abides by the safety and health program, they are more likely to emphasize safety and health in their own work habits. Employees follow management's lead.

DO:

Make sure that support from the top is visible by taking an active part in the safety and health program.

Personally review all inspection and accident reports to ensure follow-up when needed .

Ensure that all managers and supervisors follow all safety requirements that employees must follow, even if they are only in the area briefly.

Stop infractions of safety rules or work procedures you might notice; personally stop hazardous conditions or activities.

Hold managers, supervisors and employees accountable for their actions.

Take charge by letting it be known that safety and health are high priorities in your company.

Reward good performance.

Listen to employee concerns and correct deficiencies.

Be "visible" to employees by making periodic walk-throughs.

Getting Top Management to

Provide Visible Leadership

KEY QUESTIONS	Maximum Points	Assigned Points
Does management actively take part in safety activities such as safety committees, accident investigations, and in-plant hazard surveys)?	1
Does management set a good example by wearing safety equipment where required?	1
Does management correct hazards observed while in the shop?	1
Does management insist that outside contractors working on the premises abide by established plant safety rules?	1
Does management take corrective action on all rule infractions?	1
Does management promote safe work habits through positive reinforcement?	1
Is management accessible so that employees can discuss safety concerns without fear of reprisal?	1
Is management held accountable for corrective action and safe operation within their specific area?	1
Does management respond quickly to correct hazards regardless of how identified?	1
TOTAL POINTS	9

A5
EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT

Get employees involved. Decide what employee involvement means to you (i.e. asking for input before management decisions are made; or sharing the decision-making responsibility; or allowing employees to make decisions) and communicate this to employees.

The best worker safety and health protection occurs where everyone at the worksite shares responsibility for protection. This does not take the responsibility of the safety and health of the worker from the employer.

Management should encourage employees to have real input into the total safety program for a variety of reasons: employees often know best; it promotes high morale; and it indicates that the management cares. Employees should be encouraged to make suggestions that will decrease the danger of accidents to themselves and their fellow employees and reduce risks of damage to equipment and materials. Involving employees in developing their workplace safety and health program is a good way to obtain buy-in for the program.

DO:

Decide the extent of employee involvement and communicate to employees.

Tell your employees what you expect of them.

Promote employee involvement through safety committees or other advisory groups.

Give employees adequate training and resources for the job expected of them.

Require that departments use employees to develop safe work procedures for new tasks and processes.

Provide a procedure for employees to report hazards.

Ensure that employees are given a response to their safety concerns.

Make sure coworkers hear about it when other employees' ideas are successful.

Getting Employees Involved

KEY QUESTIONS	Maximum Points	Assigned Points
Have you decided what employee involvement means and communicated that decision to the employees?	1
Are employees involved in the safety program, i.e., do employees participate in safety committees or other advisory groups (developing job hazard analysis, developing safety rules, training other employees, conducting site inspections or investigating accidents)?	1
Are management and labor evenly divided on committees?	1
Do committees/advisory groups meet on a regular basis and the results documented?	1
Do committees/advisory groups have written objectives and responsibilities?	1
Have employees received any special training in the activities if they are involved?	1
Do employees feel that management is interested and involved in safety and health?	1
TOTAL POINTS	7

A6
AUTHORITY AND RESOURCES

Any realistic assignment of responsibility must be accompanied by needed authority and resources. When an employee is given the responsibility to do something, the resources and authority to complete the task should be accompanying. As employees within the organization grow, they will take on more responsibility if they feel management is backing them. The employer should provide all the tools necessary for the employee to be successful at his or her task. As an example, safety equipment, meetings and related expenses should be budgeted because safety and health programs must be reflected as a legitimate function of the company. Providing employees adequate authority and resources makes them problem solvers, not problem givers.

DO:

Develop an annual safety budget.

Prioritize expenditures regarding safety.

Develop alternate safety measures for safety improvements that must be postponed due to lack of available funding.

Give those with responsibility adequate resources and support (people, training, money), and authority to get the job done.

Providing Adequate Authority and Resources

KEY QUESTIONS	Maximum Points	Assigned Points
Is adequate staff, time, money, training, authority provided so that supervisors and employees can carry out their assigned responsibilities?	1
Is safety (time, training, equipment) a budgeted item?	1
Are key safety employees sent outside to safety seminars and conferences?	1
Do employees have an active voice in the decisions that affect the activity they are involved with; do they know the limits of their authority?	1
Can staff members who have safety responsibility order parts or maintenance?	1
TOTAL POINTS	5

A7
ACCOUNTABILITY

Once you have assigned responsibility and provided the appropriate authority and resources, hold people accountable for achieving what they have been asked to do. Accountability for one's actions must accompany the responsibility given and the authority and resources provided. Holding employees accountable helps them see how important they are to the total process within the company.

DO:

Enforce your program fairly and consistently.

Build positive reinforcement into the safety program. This positive reinforcement can be in the form of:
a. Letter of appreciation signed by an officer of the company;

b. Certificate of service that can be framed and displayed in the worker's home;

c. Expression of appreciation at a group meeting.

Reflect compliance with your safety program in employee performance evaluations.

Reward effective safety performance as future behavior patterns are strengthened.

Develop a disciplinary action program so that employees are held accountable once they have been trained.

Giving and Receiving Accountability

KEY QUESTIONS	Maximum Points	Assigned Points
Is there a formal system in place in which employees, including line managers and supervisory personnel, are held accountable for safety and health activities (not for number of accidents) through performance evaluations?	1
Is safety performance tied into salary increases, promotions or disciplinary action?	1
Is discipline fairly and consistently enforced?	1
Do employees know what happens when rules are broken?	1
Is there complete documentation of enforcement for safety rules and procedures?	1
TOTAL POINTS	5

A8
PROGRAM EVALUATION

Once the safety and health program is in place and all components are functioning, management needs to check on it from time to time to ensure its effectiveness. Some key indices of safety and health performance are property damage; frequency rates, lost time injuries; high turnover or absenteeism; employee's perception of management's interest and involvement; and insurance claims. If the program is not working, the employer should decide why and try to resolve it. Some areas of the program may need more work; some procedures may need to be changed or added where current activities are not producing the desired results. A successful safety and health program will provide a sense of pride among employees, making them feel like they are accomplishing something.

DO:

Review program at least annually using tools such as incidence rates; experience modification factors; worker's compensation costs; program goals and objectives.

Make changes as needed

Providing Program Evaluations

KEY QUESTIONS	Maximum Points	Assigned Points
Is there a systematic review of safety performance on an annual basis?	1
Does the review include checking documentation (accident reports, 200 Logs); interviews with employees at all levels; review of site conditions; review of program activities to verify they get results?	1
Are outside personnel asked to participate in the annual review?	1
Are changes made in the program when deficiencies are noted?	1
TOTAL POINTS	4

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