A Safer Workplace Is Everybody's Job
Topic: Safety Management
Accountability for injury and incident prevention can vary significantly from organization to organization. Who is ultimately responsible in your company? Does everyone understand his or her role and responsibilities? |
In a safer workplace, management responsibilities include: * Providing a workplace free from recognized hazards * Evaluating workplace conditions, and controlling or eliminating potential hazards * Complying with all OSHA standards * Providing employees safe, properly maintained tools and equipment (including PPE), and ensuring they use it * Maintaining appropriate records of illnesses, injuries, and fatalitiesBut a safer workplace requires more than that. It requires management commitment—to responsibilities and to employees.These are some examples of the management commitment necessary for the success of a safety program: * Visible involvement in program from top management (provide overall leadership) * Resources—time, money, and clout * Clear program goals and objectives set by management and communicated to all employees * A safety and health policy statement * Assignment of safety and health responsibilities and authority to responsible personnel such as supervisors * Accountability on the part of managers, supervisors, and employees for meeting their safety responsibilitiesChecklists keep your workplace and your workers safe. See how with the award-winning Safety Audit Checklists program from BLR. New 2013 Edition includes GHS changes! Learn More.EmployeesManagement sometimes takes the view that safety is mainly their responsibility and employees can do little to help create a safer workplace besides just following safety rules. Employees often take the view that safety is management's responsibility, not theirs, and all they have to do is follow the rules.In both cases, nothing could be further from the truth. Without employee involvement and cooperation,...