Why Traditional Safety Programs Don't Work - Part I
Issue # 80
November, 24, 2008
I have concluded that traditional safety programs are not effective. This lack of effectiveness can be referred to as the GAP, which is the difference between management's desire to control safety and their ability to do so. Since workplace injuries are expensive, GAP can also be an acronym for either Giving Away Profit or Gaining Additional Profit, depending on how well safety is managed in the organization.
Giving Away Profits
Traditional safety programs are influenced by early safety philosophies that focused on environmental factors. Even the government's enforcement of the law, through Cal/OSHA, concentrates on physical conditions and technical compliance, and tends to reduce emphasis on behavioral changes. Typical characteristics seen in traditional safety programs include:
- Safety is viewed as a program, with a beginning and an end.
- Safety is perceived as being inferior to other company functions.
- Emphasis is placed on mechanical or physical hazards, or on technical legal compliance.
- Overall safety objectives for the company are not clearly communicated in writing.
- Roles and responsibilities for safety have not been clarified for everyone in the organization.
- Accountability for safety on an individual basis does not exist until after an accident happens.
- There are neither standards for reporting activities nor communication channels established for feedback.
- Success or failure is measured at the end of the year based on statistical results.
According to Dan Petersen, author of Safety by Objectives and a recognized expert in Risk Management Theory, "We cannot use accident statistics to judge performance at almost any level, as they measure mostly luck . . . we must use activity measures to judge safety performance." In Safety by Objectives, Mr. Petersen also states, "Traditional safety philosophy does not use the necessary tools to quantify its objectives or the value of its programs, although modern management tools have been developed and are available."
Next week, in Part ll, we will look at how a modern "Safety by Objectives" approach can turn Giving Away Profits to Gaining Additional Profits.
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.