By Editor on June 27th, 2007
How to Get your Boss Serious About Safety
Most people charged with responsibility for safety at work find that it is often hard to convince management to fully back a culture of safety. For some with particularly enlightened bosses this is not an issue but unfortunately this is not true in the majority of cases.
If you need help here are some ways to make things change from organizations that have realized the advantages of putting safety first.
- Grab hold of where it hurts. A sure way to get the bosses attention is to show what the costs of poor safety are and how much can be saved by a proper OHS system. Show how workers compensation costs and insurance premiums can be slashed.
- Someone could go to jail. Not only Paris gets to visit, your boss is kept out of court by compliance with OHS laws. Show how there are multiple ways to make sure your business can avoid unnecessary fines.
- If we are happy you are happy. A good safety culture can also increase the morale of employees which in turn affects productivity and increasing profits in the longer term.
- Make the boss look good. Everyone should know this one: Why? Because it works! Making your boss’s job easier reflects well on you. And you win the bosses confidence at the same time as improving the safety culture at work. Seek guidance from your boss, involve them by asking advice, and don’t be afraid to ask for their support in bringing together your project.
The main problem with trying to get the boss to see where they need to pay attention has been experienced in the small to medium sized businesses [hospitality, retail etc] they simply don’t have the time to even pursue it and many feel it’s an un necessary hassle and cost relying on the employees ‘common sense’, which we all know is subject to misinterpretation and human error [particularly with the longer work hours and shorter breaks now].
I’m hoping to get back into the workforce at a management level within the retail sector and this way I can introduce an OHS workplace safety system from the Management level down.
I currently have just completed my certificate IV and studying OHS has fuelled my personal passion to bring it to the employees where ever I am.
I agree. In the fast pace day of the small business owner the last thing on their mind is OHS. Most are trying to make a buck, not finding out if their induction system is up to date. Problem is that the law does not agree. Somethings got to give!