Kylie Chappell, Safety Compliance Manager
Companies today cannot afford to take safety and compliance lightly. A company’s employees are their most valuable assets and often many businesses overlook how important it is to develop and maintain a strong safety and compliance program to protect their assets. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), for every dollar invested in an effective safety/compliance program, there is a potential for a company to save $4-$6 as illnesses, injuries and fatalities are reduced.
An organization’s safety and compliance program should begin with top level management. The management’s commitment to safety will set the tone for the rest of the organization and provide a motivating force for all employees. Without the leadership involvement and commitment to pursue safety with as much passion as other organizational goals, the program is destined to fail.
The company must also make a long term commitment to safety. This commitment should include safety training. The training is most effective when combined with other training programs regarding job practices and standard operating procedures. By doing this, it will prevent safety from being viewed as separate from other job requirements. Employee engagement is also key in building the long term commitment to safety for an organization. Employees should develop their own safety practices as their commitment to themselves, co-workers and their company. If employees feel like they are part of the safety solution then their long term commitment will translate into being a safety role model for all.
Safety and Compliance programs should raise visibility of safety in the workplace, improve safety and promote a long term commitment to safety. A program’s goal can be simply stated “Everyone Travels to Work and Arrives Back Home Safely Every Day.”
