Is Your Safety Incentive Program Effective?
Issue # 61
MONTH, DAY, 2008
It was just a decade ago that workplace safety incentive programs were new on the scene. Today, they are as commonplace approach utilized by small and large companies to improve safety, and reduce workers' compensation claims and other worker injury-related costs. Since their adoption, proponents of safety incentive programs have come to believe that they are an important element in any health and safety program, but opponents point to a variety of pitfalls that may actually decrease job safety.
The problem arises when companies take a cookie-cutter approach and implement a simplistic program in which tangible awards are provided based solely on employees achieving a specified number of accident-free days (free from injuries that result in lost time, or other significant cases.) This kind of approach is widely believed to lead to under-reporting of injuries, which in the end can cause your organization to be unaware of - and consequently unable to fix - potentially dangerous situations in the workplace
Fortunately, behavior-based programs are seen as significantly more effective in actually changing employees' behaviors and in firmly implanting a safety-minded culture in your organization. Rather than just "working X days without a lost-time injury," behavior-based safety incentive programs provide incentives for employees to make safety suggestions, participate in meetings, trainings, and audits, and implement job improvements. By getting employees involved in the process of creating a safe work environment, they will be more likely to focus on the total outcome, rather than just the reward.
Free for the asking . . . .
For a list of safety incentive program do's and don'ts, send your request to me at ed@kempkey.com and I will email the document to you.
Kempkey Insurance Services goes beyond insurance by designing and implementing risk management programs for growth oriented businesses. We help our clients maximize the value of their insurance dollars and minimize their potential for unwanted surprises. Ed Kempkey can be contacted at (888) 536-7539 extension 2188, or at ed@kempkey.com .