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Leadership commitment is imperative for creating and maintaining a safety culture. The success of safety programs depend on more than a superficial “buy-in” from corporate management. Simply declaring that “Safety is Job #1” and going back to business as usual won’t cut it.

The executive team needs to not only believe in instilling a safety culture but also be willing to reinforce it through investment and action. Leadership should set EHS initiatives and policies in writing and clearly communicate safety goals and expectations to the entire organization.

The managers responsible for enforcing safety policies and practices need to be confident that executive leadership will have their backs and are willing to allocate resources to achieve safety goals.

What is the Foundation for an Effective Safety Culture?

Changing values, beliefs, and habits of employees and how they view risk in the workplace is essential to creating and maintaining a strong safety culture at any organization. At times, it may seem like an insurmountable task, but the tools and help you need are available if you are willing to take the steps to improve.

Many organizations have enjoyed notable success in creating safety cultures, success that you can enjoy too–as long as you stay committed to the goal and are willing to deploy the right kind of training, dedication, and technology. These investments pay off by helping you avoid the risks and subsequent costs associated with unsafe working conditions. In fact, the costs of failure are such that you really can’t afford not to do this.

Changes in habits and behaviors need to start at the top, but they don’t end there. Several proven safety strategies can ensure changes in beliefs and values spread throughout the ranks of your organization. Through continuous application, they can reinforce behaviors to cultivate a workplace culture that stays truly safe.

Cultivating a Safety Culture That Actually Sticks

F A Q

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The best approach to get the C-level executives on your side is by ensuring they understand the ROI generated by a truly effective safety program, including the real costs and consequences organizations risk by not fully embracing safety. These range from the direct costs associated with injuries and illnesses, to the damage done to corporate reputations from well-publicized government enforcement actions and personal liability lawsuits.

Regular and frequent training helps shape employee beliefs and behaviors. Going through the motions, holding a safety seminar once a year, or hanging a poster in the break room, simply doesn’t cut it.

Consistent training reinforces the message that safety is top of mind for management and the organization.

Keys to effective training include:

• Understanding your audience and personalizing training materials• Using real-life scenarios that employees encounter or can relate to

In most cases, OSHA agrees that online training can fulfill its training requirements. However, to meet OSHA’s criteria you need expert systems to guide your program development.

Using the right software helps tailor your training program to address workers’ different learning styles, languages, experiences, and education levels. Well-designed software keeps your training programs current with regulatory changes and new requirements as they occur.

EHS software is the backbone of an effective safety culture. Technology helps an organization control risk, monitor progress and performance, and satisfy legal and regulatory obligations.

It also helps control costs by:

• Ensuring the right thing happens every time through effectivetraining

• Securing payback and controls costs that can’t be obtained anyother way in identifying where improvements are needed throughauditing and preventive actions

A KPA survey found that a majority of the EHS professionals who responded believed the benefits derived from their EHS software programs exceeded their costs, and a substantial number agreed that using EHS software and services ultimately improved their company’s bottom line.

What Role Does Training Play in Creating a

Safety Culture?

How Can Technology Help Build a Culture

of Safety?

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The survey found that companies considered high performers (based on their lower levels of safety violations, injuries, and absenteeism) were more likely to rely on automated, software-based processes while poor performers were more likely to rely on manual or paper-based solutions. Poorly performing organizations indicated that relying on manual processes was challenging.

Systems should incorporate mobile applications with dashboard and summary reports, access to emergency response information, and the ability to add, edit, and close issues. Incidents and accidents rarely happen at your desk, and mobile technology provides you with access to the tools and information you need, when and where you need it. It also gives you more time to spend in the field with your team conducting inspections, audits, safety meetings, and training.

Using software to manage EHS programs:

• Reduces reliance on costly, error-prone manual processes

• Improves communication and data tracking

• Reinforces adoption of policies and procedures that supportappropriate preventive measures

Knowledge is power. Having insight into your organization’s safety data lets you analyze patterns and trends to perform root cause analysis. This data flow helps you create informed programmatic shifts for uncovering and changing risky practices and behaviors.

Your safety culture relies on using analytics to track the progression of behavioral-based safety methods. Well-built EHS software generates detailed drill-down reports that allow you to view compliance levels across your business. This data gives you insight into the performance of your compliance program at a facility, department, or employee level–empowering you to identify potential problems before incidents and non-compliance happens.

One of the most effective ways to assure continuous improvement of EHS programs and a strong safety culture is by using expert third-party consultants.

Consultants view your safety program with fresh eyes and help you design processes to meet safety goals. Outside experts offer insight into potential gaps in your program and provide suggestions for improvements. Regular, third-party audits and inspections can identify areas of risk and provide guidance on how to implement necessary corrective actions.

How Can We Measure the Progress and

Effectiveness of Our Safety Programs?

How Can We Continue to Strengthen Our Safety Programs and Culture?

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Consultants also help you get the most out of the safety technology you’ve already deployed and can keep you up to speed on changing regulatory requirements and industry best practices. KPA’s certified consultants use their proprietary database of OSHA, EPA, DOT, and state regulatory references to support recommended EHS program improvements.

Experienced consultants can also assist you in identifying broader trends in safety management as well as training practices to strengthen and improve your safety culture.

About KPAKPA is a leading provider of Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) and workforce compliance software and services for mid-sized businesses. KPA solutions enable clients to identify, remedy, and prevent workplace safety and compliance problems across their entire enterprise. The combination of KPA’s Vera Suite software platform, EHS consulting services, and award-winning training content helps organizations minimize risk so they can focus on what’s important—their core business. For over 30 years, KPA has helped more than 10,000 clients achieve regulatory compliance, protect assets, and retain top talent.

Learn more at www.kpa.io.