How Visible And Active Is Top Management In You Safety Program?

This is a difficult question to answer, much less ask top management. Most people in top management as “alpha” types – intelligent and results driven. They also know their source of power and frequently use it to get what they want, and usually these are not bad things. And yet, if top management cannot, or will not, become actively involved with your safety program, as viewed by your employees, this “leadership void” will translate in to a “management fad.”

in order for the safety and health program to be successful the President of the company (or in the case of a multi-plant company, the plant manager or highest managerial individual) must be personally committed to and visibly supporting the Safety Director, as well as other team members.

Otherwise, the safety and health team members, as well as employees, will view the safety program as “just another management fad.” The end result will be wasted effort, the continued existence of unsafe acts and conditions at your facility, and continued work related injuries. This is clearly the opposite result the organization is trying to achieve. In addition, pressures push Supervisors and employees to ignore safety and health procedures and policies. The only thing that can counteract this pressure is consistent, visible management support for the safety and health program. Management commitment “on paper” means very little. On the other hand, management’s visible support, both in encouraging safe, healthful behaviors and in standing behind the enforcement of safety policies, is vital to your program’s success.

So ask yourself these questions: