How do you create a positive culture of safety at work?

A positive culture of safety in the workplace embeds safe working practices and attitudes throughout an organisation, but implementing or changing a safety culture at work can be a tricky task. In this month’s blog post, we answer some of the most asked questions regarding safety culture in the workplace, including how you create one.

A positive safety culture in the workplace is a valuable business asset. It can reduce costs, improve staff morale, and increase profits. Conversely, poor safety culture can damage your reputation, increase the potential of lawsuits, and prevent a business from succeeding. 

Workplace health and safety isn’t just a job for management. Every member of a team plays a role in keeping the workplace safe. The safety culture is the central pillar in any health and safety programme, therefore it’s vital to the success of all other health and safety efforts.

So, what is a positive workplace safety culture? What are the characteristics of it? What are the benefits, and how do you create one?

Don’t worry, we answer all of your burning questions below.

What is workplace safety culture?

According to the HSE, the safety culture of an organisation is “the product of individual and group values, attitudes, perceptions, competencies, and patterns of behaviour that determine the commitment to, and the style and proficiency of, an organisation’s health and safety management”.

A culture is a way of doing things that is shared, taught or copied. Everyone in a culture tends to consider the way things are done as ‘the norm’, therefore do things in a similar way. So, put simply, safety culture refers to the way in which things are done regarding health and safety in the workplace.

An organisation’s safety culture comprises shared working practices, its attitude to risk, how it controls hazards and how it deals with accidents or near misses.

It can also be described as a combination of how people feel about the safety of their workplace, what they do, and the policies and procedures the organisation has in place.

What are the benefits of a positive safety culture in the workplace?

A positive safety culture at work is vital to the success and effectiveness of any health and safety program and can directly contribute to improving a business’ bottom line.

More than reducing the likelihood of accidents, there are many benefits of taking an ongoing approach to health and safety management. These include lower levels of absenteeism, lower staff turnover, reduced insurance claims and potential reduction in insurance premiums.

A positive culture of safety is also proven to improve morale and engagement levels, which can lead to an improvement in productivity and profits.

What are the characteristics of a positive safety culture?

Organisations with a positive safety culture are characterised by a mutual trust, shared perceptions of the importance of safety and confidence in the effectiveness of protective measures.

If you’re not sure whether your workplace has a positive safety culture, ask yourself the following questions:

• Are your business leaders committed to improving or maintaining safety?
• Does worker health, safety and wellbeing take precedence over other priorities?
• Has your company invested in resources to improve health and safety outcomes?
• When potential risks or problems are identified, are they resolved quickly and without harm?
• Are employees consulted about health and safety issues?
• When an accident or incident occurs, are they appropriately and honestly logged?

If you answered no to one or more of the above, it’s likely there is work to be done to improve the culture of safety in your workplace.

How do you create a culture of safety at work?

If you feel that your company’s safety culture needs to be improved, the good news is that it’s never too late to change things. While it won’t happen overnight, there are a series of simple steps that you can take to make improvements to your safety culture.

A great place to start when looking to improve your workplace safety culture is the four Cs:

1. Commitment

Commitment is vital to create positive attitudes to health and safety in the workplace. To be successful in developing a positive safety culture, every single employee and manager should be working together. Employees are more likely to engage when they see senior management lead by example.

2. Communication

Companies with a strong safety culture invest in creating open lines of communication throughout their business. Regular communication should be clear and obvious, to reinforce its importance. Clear signage, posters, and screensavers are all appropriate places for you to highlight health and safety issues. You can’t talk too much about it.

3. Control

Employees should be given appropriate safety training. This will ensure they understand what risks exist in the workplace, and how they can work to keep themselves, and their colleagues, safe. Training should start when an employee commences employment and refreshed regularly. Trained employees embrace safety culture more readily because they are more aware of its benefits.

4. Co-operation

For any workplace safety culture to be effective, employee buy-in is crucial. If employees of all levels are included in the planning and implementation of any health and safety initiatives, buy-in is increased, preventing pitfalls and problems.

Does Health and Safety Accreditation help improve safety culture?

Yes. We strongly believe health and safety accreditations and certifications are an important aspect of building a positive safety culture.

They can help you identify where you need to implement or improve processes, and ensure you are following all appropriate health and safety requirements. If you already have a great culture in place, they should be a badge for your business to show you achievements and demonstrate your approach towards safe standards of work.

If you’re interested in learning more about health and safety accreditations, please contact us today. We’ll help you develop a positive safety culture, essential to your business growth.