Many of our newsletters and blogs concern safety in the workplace. It is paramount to a successful and profitable business. As you know, people are the heart of any business. And keeping them safe means keeping them safety conscious.

A recent article in MSW Management magazine describes a team of research scientists who interviewed 1,000 employees to determine what “domains” create an emergent safety leader. In short, the 4 domains are:

• Accountability
• Trust
• Connectedness
• Credible Consciousness

The data revealed some interesting information about safety leadership. When a leader demonstrates the 4 domains in high degree, employees work more safely. Leaders who have more than nine direct reports experience lower performance in leading indicator outcomes. The domain of accountability provides the strongest link to leading indicator performance of the four. Building trust is the highest predictor of reduced incidents and injuries and injuries and the success of subesquent investigations. The top three elements driving leading indicator outcomes are defined expectations, integrating safety into the business operation and sharing relevant safety information with others.

It stands then, that if leaders establish a program of accountability for accidents, let their employees know they can trust leadership to care and value their safety, integrate thinking as a connected team and create credible safety consciousness through reliable, convincing awareness and the understanding of what it takes to be safe; any working environment will be made safer.

Knowledge is power. Safety knowledge is no exception.

If you want to empower your employees with knowledge of safety consciousness on the job, call Safeway and let us train and guide your people through an internal “safety audit”. Call today 256-492-3704.