It’s one thing to say you provide a safe workplace, but it’s a totally different thing to prove you have a safe workplace.
Why should a company have an OSHA compliant written safety program? Well, first of all, common law requires employers to provide a safe workplace. Then there is the fact that it has become too costly to have people injured. That includes your employees, your customers, and the general public.
Many business managers have no idea what the total cost of accidents and injuries is to their organization. If for monetary reasons alone, you institute a cost effective safety program, you will be financially rewarded. There are several other good reasons to have an effective safety program. The second reason and a serious consideration is the moral obligation that we have as employers to provide a safe and healthful work place. The moral consideration may not motivate some managers very much until something bad happens.
After the investigation of numerous occupational injuries, in most instances the top management of the organization were emotionally upset as they contemplated the pain and disability created as a result of the accident. These were genuine feelings verified by the corrective action almost always taken to prevent a re-occurrence. Management could not undo the serious consequences of these past accidents but future accidents can be prevented. At this point, most managers are interested in taking action to prevent injuries because they feel a sense of responsibility for their employee and customers welfare.
Another benefit of the moral response is the improved morale for employees. No one wants to work for a company that has little or no regard for him as a person. Often we assume that worker’s primary motivation is monetary. Many studies show it as being fourth or fifth out of ten, rating below job security, job satisfaction, etc., once income is sufficient to cover the basic needs.
A common misconception is that if we are paying our employees a high hourly rate they should watch out for themselves. There is a surprising lack of awareness on the job however, most employees, when provided with good job instruction, proper feedback on their performance, and some basic training in safe work procedures, will do the job safely.
The third reason for having a safety program is a legal obligation. There are numerous federal, state and local laws and codes that must be met. OSHA, state and federal department of transportation and city requirements can be met with a properly designed and implemented safety program..
1) Management has not devoted the small amount of time and effort to have an effective safety program.
2) Management accepts the spiraling cost of insurance as an unavoidable and uncontrollable increasing cost of doing business.
3) Workers take the attitude, “If they don’t care, why should I?”
4) In many cases workers have never been told what is expected of them.
5) The responsibility for safety was never assigned to management and hourly employees. The “that’s someone else’s responsibility” attitude prevails.
Why Isn’t the Situation Worse?
1) We fortunately have some good employees who are self motivated to care. They work safely and in a manner not to damage equipment and product.
2) Common sense prevails sometimes.
3) We learn from our mistakes. (This is a very costly way to learn, however.)
4) Some efforts for improved safety may have been provided in the past.You can achieve increased motivation, improved morale and better efficiency through an effective safety and loss control program, thus achieving your ultimate goal of increased profitability.
For More Information contact David Disraeli, CFP
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Sounds like too much work, trouble, time, etc. (you fill in the etc.)! What’s in it for me, you ask? Well, there is a right way to do the job which in most cases also happens to be the safe way, the most efficient way and also usually results in less product damage.
Remember, accidents in most cases do not result in injuries. In fact, they more often result in product or equipment damage which is often accepted as the cost of doing business. I have seen numerous maintenance repair orders and bills for repairs on an overhead vehicle door. The door wasn’t wearing out every two months, it was running out of “new” when a truck or forklift hit it.
Why Isn’t the Situation Better?
