Safety is a CEO Issue

CEO’s are responsible for communicating safety to senior leadership - leadership that, in some cases exhibits “a profound failure” of understanding safety and the importance of its presence within their organizations.

On the heels of high-profile workplace catastrophes such as the BP oil spill or the Upper Branch Mine disaster, it become abundantly clear that “safety really is a CEO issue”.  Ask the public who is responsible for safety after one these disasters and they invariably point their fingers at the company CEO’s.  Serious safety people already know that that safety is important but the million dollar questions is “Why don’t CEO’s get it?”.  Why is such a rarity when a CEO does gets it?  Actually, as a safety professional, I don’t think we can blame them without taking a look in the mirror and making sure we are doing everything possible to help.

As a safety professional, take the following suggestions and use them to help make safety a part of your companies management objectives:

• Educate leadership about safety, starting at the very top, with upper management commitment and buy-in and move down the organizational chart to the rest of the organization
• Measure, record and monitor all injuries and potential hazards and do it methodically and consistently
• Develop process to identify problems and take the appropriate countermeasure
• Integrate audit and observation program with the appropriate progressive discipline program

Safety should not an option.  Take it very seriously and make sure everyone in your organization know the way you feel about safety.  Let your action’s do the talking and your business will reap the rewards of a productive and profitable workplace.