Recent events in mining, oil production, and even drug manufacturing uncover costly and more importantly deadly mistakes. Understanding the laws of behavior and applying them to environments where safety practices are present would do much to prevent such tragedies. But who is accountable? Companies are clear on the importance of safety, but leaders must create a culture where safety is valued and practiced at all levels. In essence the ‘corporate will’ to make safety a real priority can only be seen in the visible changes made by company leaders in the physical environment and in the daily safe practices on the part of all employees.
This topic of safety leadership is a critical one, particularly with the pace of business and the pressures companies face with ‘hitting the numbers’. I am currently writing a Safety Leadership book with Judy Agnew, our Vice President of Safety Solutions, due out later this summer. More to come on that in future blog posts…
In the meantime, some of my colleagues have written articles about the impact and importance of safety practices and safety leadership. These articles are ‘must reads’ for all leaders and managers, regardless of industry:
Wanted: Safety Accountability from Mining Management
Walking on (Wings in) Water: The Miraculous Impact of Safety Readiness
Food Safety, Product Safety and Public Protection: The Critical Role of Behavior
Related posts:
- Employees have spoken…fear and failed leadership prove disastrous in safety Guest post by Judy Agnew. Finally, we hear the truth!...
- Food Safety: Who is in Control? Would you believe nobody? With the recent outbreak of salmonella poisoning caused by egg...
- What IS Behavior-Based Safety? For the past few months, I’ve been working on a...
- Celebrity Apprentice: Does the Donald know leadership? Watching the new season of NBC’s reality show Celebrity Apprentice...
- Five Essential Stages of Safety Using a Behavioral Approach If you’re interested in or responsible for workplace safety...
July 28, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Most Corporate-Level leaders don’t realize the liability that “front-line” supervisors create for the company until those decisions cost them money or jail time. Or do they? As I travel the country facilitating safety leadership training, accountability is not part of the culture. Most are still rolling the dice.