Making a Difference in Safety

Originally posted on September 25, 2014 @ 10:37 AM

Making a Difference in Safety

By Shayne Connolly – one of our new Awesome Authors

If you are like me you started in safety because you liked talking to people, you felt like you could help people understand but most of all you thought you could make a difference. Seven years now in a variety of companies and there has only been one time that I think I made a real difference. I guess I should clarify what making a difference is to me. Making a real connection with a group of people, getting feedback and interaction and best of all comments like ‘I didn’t know safety could be like that’. Making a difference is about adapting to the needs of that group and the environment and putting practical, sensible, agreed controls in place. I have to say in the instance I mentioned that there was little in the way of systems in place and I was able to have free run of the project.

Everywhere else I have worked it’s a different story. They have a system, usually they like it (at least management does), they think it’s effective and they aren’t looking to change things. They are certified and they need to maintain that. They are really looking for a sales person to sell that system to the workers who already know it isn’t great or worse still an enforcer to make sure everyone complies. Or even worse still not matching the level of commitment talked about in the system with real world commitment in dollars and cents.

How do you explain why we wear hard hats on a job when the risk of something falling on your head is extremely low? Why do I have to wear long sleeves and long pants when I work inside 90% of the day? Why do I need a JHA when I already have a SWMS for the same task? Why do I have to re write that JHA every week when nothing changes? The company wants Zero Harm and safety is the number one priority but you have already spent your repairs budget this month, the truck will have to do. These and a thousand other questions that I can’t answer but to say, that’s the system. I really could fill up page after page of questions that defy reasonable explanation.

I’ll be honest, I am not one of those people who can harass workers about the little things all day long and feel satisfied. Making sure 3 people had their gloves on while you were watching is not making a difference. I want to have a conversation about safety with the people on the front line, build a relationship, gain trust work together. Strangely most systems talk about consultation with the workers but its not about the systems, they don’t really have any input into that so how is that consultation?

Now don’t get me wrong I understand that we need systems, compliance is important. The truth is that the system is seen as a way for the company to cover it’s ass by the workers. It does work both ways though, workers are covered if they do everything the system says. But I’m getting off topic, is it possible to make a difference when you have to work from inside a system that allows no freedom and punishes those who do not conform or seek to change?

I have only been in this game for seven years so I haven’t worked everywhere, are there any companies that are getting this right? And if there are how are they doing it?