Leaders Encourage Participation
Effective leaders understand that encouraging workers to participate in the program signals to them that management values their input.
Employee participation not only builds trust but also fosters a sense of ownership among employees, which benefits the company in the long run. Consider the actions leaders can undertake to demonstrate their commitment to employee participation in safety:
- Provide workers with the necessary time and resources to participate in the program.
- Recognize and offer positive reinforcement to those who engage in the program.
- Uphold an open-door policy, welcoming workers to discuss safety and health concerns and to offer suggestions.
Leaders Encourage Reporting
When employers communicate to employees their desire for them to report safety and health hazards, unsafe behaviors, and incidents, it bolsters participation.
By expressing gratitude to employees for their reports and taking swift corrective measures, managers reinforce the message that they prioritize employee safety and health.
Here are steps management can adopt to promote reporting:
- Set up a process for workers to communicate hazards, incidents, and concerns.
- Always thank employees and avoid penalizing or reprimanding them for reporting.
- Frequently and promptly update workers about actions taken.
- Ensure there's no retaliation when an employee voices a safety concern.
- Engage workers in finding remedies to the reported issues.
Leaders Give Workers Access
Sharing pertinent safety and health information with employees engenders trust and enables organizations to make better-informed decisions. Here are measures leaders can adopt to manifest their commitment to facilitating employee access to safety data:
- Grant employees access to Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), injury and illness statistics, and outcomes of environmental exposure monitoring.
- Allow employees access to additional data, such as Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), inspection records, and incident/accident investigation reports.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-3. What should leaders do if most employees are not reporting hazards, incidents, and accidents?
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