Don't Take a Reactive Approach to Safety
Some employers think they can gamble on safety strategies that ignore hazards until they cause an accident. Operating on the basic assumption that "it's not a problem, until it's a problem," these employers employ a reactive strategy that merely 'puts out fires' as they arise.
Another way to think about a reactive approach to safety is that it's like using your car's rear-view mirror to stay in the right lane while driving. By the time you realize you've veered out of the lane, it's already too late.
Employers who adopt a reactive approach to safety often operate under faulty assumptions. Examples include:
- accidents just happen,
- there's not much that can be done about it, and
- accident costs are just the costs of doing business.
Assumptions like the ones mentioned above invariably lead to increased short-term safety costs. Why is that? Because, besides the expenses incurred for corrective actions, employers also face significant direct and indirect costs from accidents. After all, isn't rebuilding a burnt-down house always more expensive?
- Accident investigations are conducted to place blame — never uncover root causes.
- Early return to work programs activate after an accident.
- "Accident-Free-Days" incentive programs that actually reward employees for not reporting accidents.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-9. Which of the following strategies costs more in the short term?
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