Safety Culture Plus

Leadership from the top down is the most important part of any process. "Lip service”, is not going to work for you. If management demonstrates a true commitment (not only when some occurs), provides the motivating force, and the needed resources to manage safety, an effective system can be developed and will be sustained. According to OSHA, this demonstration of leadership should include the following elements that are consistent with an effective program:

• Establishing the program responsibilities of line managers, supervisors, and employees for safety and holding them accountable for carrying out their responsibilities.
• Providing managers, supervisors, and employees with the authority, access to relevant information, training, and resources they need to carry out their responsibilities.
• Identifying at least one manager, supervisor, or employee to receive and respond to reports about safety conditions and, where appropriate, to initiate corrective action.

This is the first time that OSHA has used the term "demonstrate”. In reality, demonstration means “do as I do.” This is an important concept no matter what you are tying to accomplish, always “walk-the-walk, and talk-the-talk”.

Reference: OSHA’s Voluntary safety and health Program Management Guidelines published in the Federal Register, pp. 54 FR 3904-3916, Thursday, January 26, 1989 and U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Administration (OSHA), Draft Proposed Safety and Health Program Rule, 29 CFR 1900.1