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700 Introduction to Safety Management
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Top Management Commitment

It's essential to the success of your company's safety and health program that top management demonstrates not only an interest, but also a long-term, serious commitment to protect every employee from injury and illness on the job.

Safety as a Value

Bottom line, if top management is committed to safety, most other managers, supervisors, and employees will be too. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true.

Survey your managers and supervisors to determine what they do (and don't do) that shows a serious commitment to safety. Complete the survey below to help determine their level of commitment.

Which action items below do your managers accomplish indicating a commitment to safety? Consider rating each indicator on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is poor and 5 is excellent.

  • Writes safety vision, mission, and policy statements
  • Writes safety goals and objectives for the programs within the SMS
  • Writes long-term strategies and short-term tactics for achieving safety objectives
  • Provides safety budgets, staffing, and facilities for training and meetings
  • Participates in developing and deploying safety plans
  • Monitors and periodically evaluates SMS programs
  • Sets an example of good safety practices, e.g., wearing personal protective equipment
  • Holds themselves and others accountable for safety performance, e.g., pay/promotions are partially dependent on safety performance
  • Receives and responds to employee suggestions and safety committee recommendations
  • Personally conducts safety audits, inspections, and investigations
  • Ensures hazards are identified, analyzed, and corrected
  • Never satisfied until effective root-cause analysis and system improvement is completed
  • Participates in safety committee activities
  • Regularly attends safety activities outside the company

If you think you lack adequate commitment, how do you get it? Real commitment doesn't just appear out of thin air. What is the secret?

Management commitment to safety will occur when each manager understands the positive benefits of their effort. Understanding the benefits creates a strong desire to improve the company's safety culture. Managers invest serious time and money into effective safety management by applying each of the elements in the SMS.

It's "Safety Only," not "Safety First"

The popular phrase, "Safety First," might sound good, but safety is most effective when viewed as a core value rather than just a priority. Priorities can shift, especially in difficult times. Core values, on the other hand, remain constant. So, consider changing "Safety First" to "Safety Only".

"Safety Only" emphasizes the idea that maximum production is acceptable, as long as it can be achieved safely. If a safety issue is discovered that might cause serious physical harm or death, correct it immediately, even if that means halting production. That's real commitment to safety!

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

1-2. The safety management system will be most effective when safety is _____.