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Workplace Safety: Management Responsibilities

I was recently asked to speak at a conference on “Supervisor Responsibilities for Safety. ” While preparing mypresentation,Irecalledamanagementtrainingseminar thatIattendedseveralyearsago.Thespeakertalkedabout “Theories of Negligence” as it deals with employees. He covered five issues: negligent hiring, negligent retention, failure to direct, failure to train and failure to supervise. I wouldliketofocusonthelastthreeoftheseissuesasthey pertaintosafety.Asyoureadthisarticle,pleasetakeafew minutes and self-reflect on how each of these pertain to you and your entity.

Employers have a legal and moral obligation to provide a safe and healthful work environment for their employees. Safetyisatop-downprocessthatstartswiththeMayorand governing board along with the department heads. Oftentimes, the key to the success of your safety program rests with your mid-level supervisors. They are the ones thataregoingtomakesurethattheelementsofyoursafety program are followed. As the governing board, have you providedyourdepartmentheadsandmid-levelsupervisors with the tools necessary to provide that safe and healthful work environment for your employees? Each level of managementneeds toberesponsibleandheldaccountable for your safety program.

Failure To Direct

As you review your safety program, one of the first questionsyoushouldaskdealswiththeissueof“failureto direct. ” What direction do you provide your mid-level supervisors and employees? Do you have written safety rules and have they been updated recently? One of our consultants recently reviewed a safety manual that hadn’t been updated since 2008. One can only imagine how the jobtasksandprocedureshavechangedsincethen.Hasthat entity provided proper direction for their employees?

You can ensure your employees are receiving proper direction when you have written rules that: • Inform employees of the hazards associated with theworktheyperformandhowtosafelyperform those tasks; • Inform employees of the required use of personal protective equipment such as respirators, safety glasses, fall protection, head or foot protection, etc.; • Inform employees of the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency; • Inform employees of any unique hazards in the workplace and how to identify them; • Inform employees of how to report unsafe or unhealthful conditions; and • Inform employees of actions to take in the event of a work-related injury.

Failure To Train

What type of training do you provide new employees or existing employees that are performing new tasks? Training must: • Create an awareness of safe behavior; • Teach required skills for working safely; • Increaseknowledgebyprovidingaccurate,up-todate information about workplace hazards and safe work practices and procedures; and • Shape employee attitudes toward workplace safety.

You need to ensure employees are adequately trained to perform the work safely by: • Requiring specialized training prior to permitting employees to work with machines, chemicals, operate powered equipment, enter confined spaces or trenches, work in elevated locations or perform similar hazardous work; and • Informing employees of the hazards associated with the work they are to perform prior to beginning the work.

Failure To Supervise

What tools have you provided your mid-level supervisors so they can be successful? Oftentimes, employees are promotedtosupervisorypositionsbecausetheyweregood at their jobs. Too often the resources, training and support they were provided to become good employees are not provided so they can become successful supervisors.

Keeping workplaces free from hazards is one of the most critical aspects of a comprehensive safety program. To ensure employees are adequately protected from hazards, supervisors must: • Monitor their workplaces frequently to identify unsafe or unhealthful conditions and to ensure that work is being performed safely; • Take prompt action to correct hazardous conditions and any unsafe or unhealthful actions or behaviors; • If a serious hazard is detected, take immediate action to safeguard employees; • Encourage employees to report unsafe or unhealthful conditions; • Seek suggestions from employees for improvement of workplace conditions; • Investigate workplace mishaps and take prompt corrective action necessary to ensure the safety and health of employees; and • Institute actions to prevent recurrence of accidents.

Agood safety supervisor: • Takes the initiative in telling management about

ideas for safer processes; • Is professional when it comes to taking care of equipment and keeping employees safe; • Takes pride in knowing how to use equipment safely; • Knows what PPE is necessary on each job and sees that such PPE is used; • Takes charge of operations that are not routine to make certain that safety precautions are determined and followed; • Practicesgoodhousekeepingandmakessurethat staff does likewise; • Knowswhichmaterialsarehazardousandhowto handle them safely; • Keeps an eye open for the worker who may need coaching or assistance; • Continually talks safety and impresses safety on workers; • Works with all persons they oversee without favoritism; • Knows how to get people to work together as a team; • Sets the example in safety; • Understands the value of criticism and praise and exercises sound judgement in doling them out; • Explainsanddemonstrateshowtodoajobsafely and observes workers to ensure they do it properly; • Investigates the seemingly unimportant incidents and takes corrective measures; and • Keeps everyone informed of current safety policies.

Leadership means more than just setting a good example for employees. It also means inspiring employees to take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of coworkers through every communication and interaction between supervisor and employees. Employees must feel free to come to their supervisor any time they have a problem or question concerning safety or to report incidents and hazards without fear of blame or retaliation. A good leader encourages employee-driven safety and knows that the work group is only as safe as each employee. A good leader is proactive rather than just responding when something goes wrong. A supervisor whoisagoodleaderguidesandshapessafetyperformance rather than just giving orders and criticizing inadequate performance.

Hopefully this has been a helpful review of the responsibilities of management in providing a safe and healthful work environment for your employees. Today most entities are expected to provide more services, often with less resources and fewer employees. A pro-active safety program is a worthwhile investment that helps management take care of existing resources, especially your most valuable resource, your employees.

Doug Kirkus Loss Control Consultant SDMLWorkers’Compensation Fund South Dakota PublicAssuranceAlliance