With close to three million workplace injuries occurring in North America annually, safety is an important factor that affects the success of any business. It is possible to transform the workplace into an environment where every employee and leader is committed to protecting each other’s health and safety at all times. To get there requires more than new processes and technical training.
These 10 principles are the key to fostering a positive safety culture in any organization.
1. Stuff Shouldn't Happen That I Can Control
The awareness that safety incidents do not “just happen” and the conviction that safety is influenced by “What I Do!” has a direct correlation on preventing incidents from “just happening”.
2. Tap In For Safety
Step up and tap in when you see something going wrong ... or even right! Immediate feedback to affirm positive safety actions or correct and redirect at-risk behavior.
3. Common Language
This is language that is familiar, understood, and useful to everyone; it provides efficient understanding so that misunderstandings and risks are minimized or eliminated.
4. I Can Control More Than I Assumed
Individuals have more control over situations in their workplace than they often first assume.
5. The Big Picture
Having the overall context for what we are doing and why allows us to navigate pressures to perform and mitigate potential safety issues.
6. Equal Onus
Everyone has a personal ownership and accountability to be safe and help their colleagues to be safe in order to achieve the outcome of a Safe by Choice Culture.
7. Ripple Effect
Understand that the impact of unsafe acts can affect everyone around you, not just within the company, but family and friends as well.
8. Never Let A Teammate Fail
Having each other's backs is crucial to ensuring everyone's safety, as it fosters a supportive environment where vigilance and mutual care prevent accidents and enhance overall well-being. Always take action to ensure that teammates are working safely and successfully.
9. Control Is A Choice
Every individual has control over the choices they make about their actions and behaviors; making the right choices contributes to achieving a Safe by Choice Culture.
10. Safe By Choice
This is what it's all about! This is the collectively shared mindset that drives every choice in behavior and action; the goal to achieve zero injuries and an incident-free workplace.
