Supervisor Safety Behaviors
Value vs. Priority
Due to pressures at work, supervisors may feel it necessary to treat safety as a priority rather than a core value. However, it is crucial for supervisors to always value safety in the workplace and demonstrate a strong commitment to creating a safe work environment.
Supervisors show that they consider safety as a core value when they never put safety second to production. They say and do things each day that demonstrate a real commitment to safety.
One of the easiest, yet most important, things the supervisor can do each day is to recognize employees for working safely. The following are more actions supervisors can take to positively reinforce the message that safety is a core value:
- Visible presence: Be present on the work floor, regularly observing work practices and engaging with employees to discuss safety-related issues.
- Daily safety reminders: Start each workday with a brief safety reminder or share a safety tip during daily team meetings.
- Check on personal protective equipment (PPE): Ensure that employees are wearing appropriate PPE for their tasks and that the equipment is in good condition.
- Regularly monitor work environment: Observe work processes, equipment, and facilities for potential hazards and address any issues promptly.
- Address safety concerns: Be approachable and responsive to employee concerns or questions about safety, taking immediate action to resolve issues when necessary.
- Recognize safe behaviors: Acknowledge and praise employees when they demonstrate safe work practices or identify potential hazards.
- Encourage open communication: Foster an environment in which employees feel comfortable discussing safety concerns or suggestions without fear of reprisal.
- Provide ongoing training: Offer regular safety training sessions, refresher courses, or toolbox talks to keep employees informed about best practices and safety procedures.
- Review safety metrics: Track safety performance indicators, such as incident rates and near misses, and share this information with employees to demonstrate the importance of safety.
- Continually learn: Stay current on the latest safety developments, industry standards, and regulations, and apply that knowledge to improve workplace safety.
On the other hand, production pressures can lead to a perceived competition between meeting production goals and upholding safety standards. Supervisors may also mistakenly believe that safety is the job of the safety director, not the supervisor. Below are more examples of behaviors that illustrate safety as a priority:
- Ignoring safety protocols: Neglecting to follow established safety guidelines, procedures, and rules within the workplace.
- Failing to provide adequate training: Not offering proper safety training and guidance to employees, especially when they are handling hazardous materials or operating dangerous machinery.
- Not enforcing safety rules: Failing to enforce safety rules consistently among employees, which can lead to lax attitudes toward safety and increased risk of accidents.
- Inadequate communication: Not effectively communicating safety expectations, hazards, and procedures to employees.
- Overlooking employee concerns: Dismissing or ignoring employee concerns regarding safety hazards or unsafe working conditions.
- Neglecting equipment maintenance: Failing to ensure that tools, machinery, and equipment are in good working order and regularly inspected for defects.
- Rushing work: Encouraging employees to work quickly at the expense of safety or disregarding safe work practices to meet tight deadlines.
- Inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE): Not providing proper PPE for employees or not ensuring that they are wearing it when necessary.
- Failing to address workplace hazards: Not taking appropriate steps to identify, assess, and control hazards in the workplace.
- Downplaying accidents or near misses: Not reporting or investigating incidents to identify root causes and prevent future occurrences.
Supervisors must consider safety a core value, not a priority.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
5-5. What attitude about safety do supervisors demonstrate by refusing to place safety second to production?
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