Management leads an organization in every key initiative, including safety and health. Management provides the leadership, vision and resources needed to implement an effective safety and health program. Management leadership means that business owners, managers and supervisors commit to:
- Making worker safety and health a core organizational value
- Eliminating hazards, protecting workers and continuously improving workplace safety and health
- Providing sufficient resources to implement and maintain the safety and health program
- Visibly demonstrating and communicating their safety and health commitment to workers.
The first step is to deliver a safety and health message by sharing your commitment to safety and health with workers on a regular basis. Send an email blast, write a column in your company newsletter, produce a video or use social media to talk about your commitment to safety and health.
It is also important to establish a visible presence by walking the floor. During your walk, observe what is happening, talk directly with your workers about safety and keep an open mind about their ideas and suggestions for safety and health improvements. This is an opportunity for you to learn from your workers and show them that you care about their safety.
Formalize and publicize your commitment to safety and health by establishing a written policy. A formal commitment, clearly articulated to workers and outside your organization, helps ensure that safety and health are a priority. Create a clearly written policy with specific safety and health goals. Gather input from workers and get it signed by top management. Communicate the policy to all existing workers and to new employees during orientation. Ensure enough resources are allocated to put the policy into practice.