Creating, implementing, and sustaining an effective EHS safety culture is an essential component of any organization because it prioritizes employee well-being, reduces workplace accidents and injuries, enhances productivity, and fosters a positive work environment, ultimately leading to a more successful and productive organization.
Meet with the Team
There are many strategies for successfully developing safety culture within an organization, including regular meetings with employees on a variety of work-related safety topics. A shift meeting or toolbox talk is a great way to begin the day with emphasis on safety first, keeping hazard recognition in front of mind for supervisors and dire report employees. In addition to including safety in shift meetings, it is hugely beneficial for companies to establish a regularly recurring safety committee meeting that is led by a combination of hourly employees and leadership. An EHS person should be present to discuss any recent near misses, safety program updates, metrics and to recognize employees who have successfully demonstrated support of safety workplace safety.
Safety Recognition
Safety recognition is an important component of any workplace safety culture because it positively reinforces excellent behavior in support of workplace safety programs and policies. It is helpful for employee morale and workplace productivity to regularly identify and reward employees who have taken time to immediately mitigate or report a workplace hazard, look out for colleagues by actively engaging in conversation when an employee is observed to potentially hazardous condition or present a certificate or other type of enrichment for demonstrating company values with safety as a priority.
Share the Metrics
A fantastic way to help employees feel safe and valued is by sharing how the effective safety culture has reduced workplace injuries. Training completion, reduction in near misses, and injury quantity are beneficial safety metrics to share with employees as a tool for awareness and injury prevention.
