Safety Leadership Is Important, Too.

We talk endlessly about the importance of leadership in businesses: in sales, marketing, operations, administration. We need leadership to keep our companies on the right track; maintaining profitability and hopefully providing a great (or at least tolerable) place to work. What would we do without leaders and the leadership they provide?

Part of providing that great place to work requires it to also be a safe place to work. Safety programs are important in today’s workplaces because they are the right thing to do and because OSHA says we’re not going to get out if it anyway. How we implement that safety program and the kind of safety environment people work in are both products of the kind of leaders we have.

Do your leaders walk their safety talk or simply enforce the rules without much thought to what they really mean? This is important because leadership attitudes become management attitudes which then become employee attitudes. A seemingly arbitrary safety program may put more emphasis on rules and regulations than on the effect these rules have on the workers and their jobs. For example, a blanket policy which requires the same heavy, bulky PPE for every job regardless of risk may seem good in theory but in practice the PPE is so cumbersome and aggravating that the workers are tempted to not wear it. I’ve seen these policies and when employees complained about them they were told essentially that the rules are “for your protection” followed by reminders of the penalties for non-compliance. This unwillingness to listen (and often heavy-handed enforcement) leaves workers frustrated and convinced that their leaders aren't concerned about employee well-being as much as they are concerned about the company’s liability. That’s not leadership. It’s management and a rather poor job of it at that.

Good safety leadership demands that leaders and managers emphasize a safety environment that is driven by employee behaviors based on respect for safety and its value to them and the company ( a “want-to” culture) rather than one driven by fear of repercussions (a “have-to” culture). In the “want-to” culture, employees understand what hazards they face and how to protect themselves. They want to be involved in the process of selecting PPE and work practices that will allow them to work safely and efficiently. They realize that safety can be onerous but they’ll appreciate it more when they feel as if their leadership is listening rather than dictating.

The “have-to” environment often leaves employees with little understanding of safety rules beyond disciplinary action if they don’t conform. How will they know what to do when something unexpected arises? What are they to do? Go find their supervisor who may know little more than his or her subordinates? A safety program driven by blind obedience to rules doesn't encourage understanding, only compliance. That’s not leadership. It’s a prescription for disaster.

Leaders influence the safety culture in the organizations by both their actions and how their employees perceive them. It’s imperative that leaders at all levels practice what they preach, get their people involved in the safety process, and remember that safety doesn't exist in a vacuum but is a critical part of efficient and safe operations.