When we start school one of the first
things we are taught is our ABC’s. They are the building blocks of our
ability to read. Without learning our ABC’s we are at an extreme
disadvantage in life. The ABC’s are so fundamental to learning that
often when faced with learning new tasks, we are told it is as simple as
ABC.
The same adage goes for safety. If you want to have a truly effective
Safety Program you must know the ABC’s of Safety. These are:
- Awareness
- Attitude
- Belief
- Behavior
- Commitment
- Consistency
Each of the above are important elements
and must be understood.
Nothing gets invented, nothing gets
developed and nothing gets improved unless someone first becomes Aware
that something can, should and needs to be done. If a company is not
aware that safety is an important management element, all too often
little or no effort will be put into the Safety Program. Ask yourself
this question, of the ten most important critical management elements
necessary for the success of your company, where does safety rank? I
often ask that question in the seminars. I do, unfortunately, all too
often hear that safety didn’t even make the top ten. Other times it is
on the bottom part of the list. In these companies it is clear that they
are not aware of the importance of safety. Those companies that are
aware have safety near the top of the list.
The next element is Attitude. It is not
simply enough to be aware that safety is important, a company must want
to have a good Safety Program. I call this the want to attitude. In
order for a company to want a good Safety Program they need to
understand how a good Safety Program protects the most vital assets and
directly contributes to the company’s overall success, growth and
profitability. The real value is in safety and is worth the effort.
Companies need to Believe in the
importance of safety and their Safety Program. If not, the program will
never be as effective as it should be. If it is perceived as an
interference to production or sales by management many companies will
not support safety wholeheartedly. The importance of safety has to be
communicated on a regular basis and all levels of management held
accountable for the company’s safety effort.
Often when I talk to new companies about
safety, their understanding relates to the various OSHA Standards. Yet
safety is not a Technical Program, it is a Behavioral Program. In order
for safety to truly be effective, it has to be totally engrained in the
day to day work behavior of every employee. Every time an employee makes
a decision affecting his/her safety, the safe right way should be the
only decision they make. This will only happen if employees believe in
your Safety Program and its importance.
Companies must be Committed to the Safety
Program. It must start at the top, all levels must understand the
commitment, sufficient resources, manpower and follow-up must be
allocated as necessary. This commitment has to be so clear that there is
never any doubt about it and what is expected.
Total Management Commitment is the most
important element of any Safety Program. Without it, no Safety Program
will be successful.
The last of the ABC’s is Consistency. There must be Consistency with
Intensity. All to often companies go on what I call a safety diet.
Someone recognizes that the Safety Program needs to be improved or
upgraded. A strong effort is made to turn the program around and for
awhile the efforts are successful. Unfortunately, all too often after a
while that effort wanes and the success initially gained slips away.
That is why consistency is required. Safety is not a project or program,
but an ongoing never ending process. It has to be managed that way.
Remember the ABC’s of Safety, they will
make all the difference.
If you have any safety questions or need
any assistance with your program, please call American Safety & Health
Management Consultants, Inc., at 1-800-356-1274.
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