The Role of Management in Promoting Workplace Safety

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Workplace injuries result in approximately 104,000,000 production days lost annually in the US,  according to the National Safety Council. Workplace injuries not only cause pain and suffering to the affected person, but they can also lead to a  significant drop in productivity levels and consequently, profits. As a manager, you have a responsibility to provide the leadership, vision and resources required to implement an effective health and safety program. You need to come up with an action plan for preventing injuries in the workplace and dealing with them in the unfortunate event that an accident happens.

Come up with a health and safety program for your organization

You need to establish a written health and safety management signed by top management describing your organization’s commitment to safety. A clear, written health and safety policy helps you communicate with every member of your organization that safety is a primary organizational value. Communicate the policy clearly to all members of staff and, when appropriate, to other relevant parties such as visitors, suppliers and customers.

Funding safety programs

As management, you are in charge of  allocating the resources needed to implement your health and safety program. Resource needs vary depending on the size of your organization and the hazards you face, but they can include buying safety equipment and supplies, staff training, and access to health and safety experts. With the help of other members of your organization, come up with an estimate of the resources required to establish and implement the program. Once you have a figure, you can integrate health and safety into your planning and budgeting processes.

Have proper insurance coverage

Even after taking steps to  prevent injuries at the workplace, some accidents may happen when you least expect it and cause injuries to your employees. This is exactly why you must ensure that you have the right insurance coverage. One type of insurance you need to protect employees and the organization after workplace accidents is workmans comp insurance. If an employee is injured at work,  workmans comp insurance will save your organization from having to pay medical fees and lost wages. You should also consider buying liability insurance in case a visitor, customer or other non-employee gets injured in your workplace.

Poor management of workplace health and safety issues can have various financial implications for your organization. As a manager, it is your role to demonstrate a positive attitude towards health and safety so that every member of your organization can join forces to create a safer and happier working environment.

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