Context:

Building Sustainable Organizations is an important obligation of the industrial community. Workplace Safety is an integral feature of Sustainable Organizations.

Safety is a vast subject. It encompasses different areas like Process Safety, Safety Management Systems, Behavior Based Safety, Design Safety, Hazard Identification & Assessment, Hazard Prevention & Control, Contractors Safety, Transportation Safety etc. It is also a dynamically evolving field. All the areas of Safety are important and deserve serious attention in organizational functioning. For Organizational Leadership, Safety Professionals and Line Managers, it can be a daunting task to determine what to prioritize, how to prioritize and how to sustain good performance in Safety.

This article is intended to serve as a resource guide for those who want to do some serious, impactful work in building Safer organizations.

Safety, Whose Responsibility Is It?

Traditionally and even today, in many organizations it is genuinely believed that Safety is the responsibility of Safety-Health-Environment (SHE) Department. In such organizations, for any incident, Safety Managers become the de-facto flogging guys who get whipped with an intensity proportionate to the damage cause.

Challenging this very belief can be a powerful starting point in safety transformation journey.

If one is to draw a parallel industry analogy, then Quality transformation realization that happened in the decades of late ‘80s and ‘90s is the closest and best example. For any product quality problems, Quality Control inspectors used to be held accountable till such time an alternate paradigm, rather realization dawned that Quality is the responsibility of individuals who manufacture or produce quality. Quality Control professionals can do audits and product quality gate keeping. Quality Assurance Professionals can create documents and standards that may result in consistent and reliable quality. But primary ownership of quality is of the individual who is directly involved in production of the goods. This realization tremendously helped manufacturing industry and got metamorphosed into appropriate avatars in service industries.

So, coming back to our question, Safety, whose business is it?

Intuitive answer is ‘of everybody’, and which is correct as well.

However, making certain logical and clear division of Safety related tasks, actions, responsibilities, and accountabilities makes the effort effective.

Power Beliefs:

If building Injury Free, Safe Organization is the desired destination, then instilling some powerful beliefs becomes important. Belief guides human thoughts, decisions and eventual behaviors and actions.    

Power Belief (i): Safety is my responsibility.

Power Belief (ii): I am accountable for creating Safe, Injury free organization.

Power Belief (iii): All injuries can be prevented.

Power Belief (iv): Everybody in the organization must own Safety.

It may sound rather philosophical for starters; however, enough contemplation and deliberations on the same create interesting thought processes and ideas.

Key Players and their roles in Safety Transformation:

Safety Transformation journey requires a strong nucleus, critical mass of highly empowered professionals who share Power Beliefs, enabling structures and processes.

Here is a short summary of who are the main players and their roles/responsibilities in triggering and championing the transformation process:

I. Top Leadership/Executive: There is no substitute for top/executive leadership to demonstrate its commitment and lead from the front. Their typical roles in safety transformation are:

• State, reiterate and reinforce commitment to safety.

• Visible actions demonstrating commitment to safety.

• Adequate Resourcing (OPEX, CAPEX, People, Organization Structures).

• Periodically sign up for safety standards and certifications to upgrade organizational capabilities and systems.

• Approve safety procedures and performance standards.

• Set up Monitoring & Review Mechanisms.

• Sponsor Organization wide Interventions aimed at safety culture.

• Bring focus, create energy and build momentum around safety initiatives.

• Approve policies, programs and practices aimed at Institutionalization & Sustenance of safety culture.  

• Recognition for safety achievements.

II. Line Organization (Operations, SCM etc.) Managers: In most manufacturing organizations, about 75% to 90% of the employee population is engaged in line functions. Their sheer numbers, nature of activities and behaviours determine quality and effectiveness of safety. Roles of managers from line organizations are:

• Own up Safety as Primary Responsibility

• Drive Rigorous Implementation through initiatives like

• Implementation of standards like ISO 45001

• Certification like Responsible Care

• Process Safety

• Behavioral Safety

• Safety Observation

• Incident Management Programs

• Implement Robust Safety Management System.

• On-going interactions with employees through tool-box talks, incident investigations and sharing of learnings

III. EHS/SHE Managers: Role of EHS, especially Safety professionals in safety culture transformation is highly nuanced. They should bring strong knowledge/content on the table, equip line organization to effectively own safety responsibility and display appropriate safety behaviors on field. Their typical roles are:

• Provide subject knowledge support.

• Training & Education.

• Provide support to Line Organization in Safety Implementation.

• Provide, maintain, and upgrade Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).

• Audit and identify safety gaps for corrective actions.

• Facilitate incident investigations and learnings thereof.

• Learn from Community Networks like Local Emergency Response Groups and bring best practices knowledge in one’s organization.

• Raise organizational awareness and capabilities in safety.

• Play active role in drafting/creating safety standards.

• Engage and motivate employees through various safety events.

• Collaborate with line and HR organization in creating people practices like Reward & Recognition, Performance Management Safety KPIs etc.

IV. HR Managers: HR must play a significant and visible role in safety culture transformation. Through various interactions like Union Meetings, Departmental Interactions, one-on-ones, third party contract manpower suppliers, HR should champion the cause of safety. Key roles that HR managers can play during safety journey are:

- Active Support in Training & Development; (HR facilitating safety courses has a very different and positive impact).

- Create powerful employee communication campaigns on safety.  

- Design programs that would promote Safety Culture like Reward & Recognition, Introduce Safety KPIs in Performance Management etc. 

- Community Networks like Local Emergency Response Groups.

- Mapping appropriate Safety Training programs in Employee Life Cycle.

- Improve safety capability of the organization through Buy (hiring), Build (Training & Development) and Contract/Hire (consultancy/retainer arrangements) strategies.

V. Supporting Structures: For effective implementation and sustenance of the safety culture transformation programs, it is important to create supporting and enabling structures.

I. Organization Structures & Processes: Organization wide Organization Structure, dedicated to safety helps tremendously. Such structure should deliver on the following:

- Clarify accountabilities and agenda: e.g., who creates/drafts safety standards and who implements them.

- Clarification and reinforcement of Line Management accountability & responsibility.

- Facilitate Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) and Monitor performance on Safety KPIs.

II. Internal Capability Building: Developing organizational capability in safety subjects effectively improves quality and longevity of safety culture transformation initiatives. Some of the effective actions in internal capability building are:

- Internal Capability Building: Pool of certified trainers.

- Top-Down training or simultaneous, large-scale interventions are possible, better would it get. 

- Homogeneous/Uniform Training Content for Alignment

- Rewards & Recognition Programs

- Communication & Learning Platforms: Safety Contact, tool-box talks, Learning sessions on real life Incidents.

 III. Empaneling Knowledge Partner(s): In any serious performance improvement endeavor, right coach invariably plays a key role. A good coach brings subject knowledge expertise, he/she is not prejudiced and certainly not afraid to give straight feedback.

At organization level as well, appointment of effective knowledge partner of partners enhances the effectiveness multi-fold.  

6. Why Organization wide Safety Culture Initiatives: Organizations are human entities. Shared beliefs, values, behaviours, rituals, practices, and ways of interacting with each other create unique social and psychological environment which is referred to as ‘Organizational Culture’. 

When safety is not an important shared value, then safety behaviour becomes a necessary evil. In such cultures, safety behaviour needs to be practiced due to external compulsions like enforcement by managers or perceived threat to life.

On the other hand, when safety is accepted as an important and sacred value, then employees get into self-governance mode. When they spot unsafe behaviour from their colleague or notice an unsafe condition, they voluntarily assume the role of safety managers and prevent potential incidence.

Good safety culture positively contributes to teamwork, enhances organizational pride, becomes a valuable employee engagement and employee experience driver.  In addition to reduction in accident/lost time, it has positive effect on productivity, good housekeeping, and work habits. It enhances social worth of an organization in the eyes of customers, investors, and community.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(Authored by Rajesh Vaidya. He is working as CHRO & Head Sustainability in Silox India Private Limited. Views shared are personal)

Disclaimer: