Significance of Safety culture

Significance of Safety culture

1. The safety culture of an organisation is the way that all the people within the organisation think and feel about H & S

   • It can be defined as shared attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviours relating to H & S
     • Strong link between safety culture and H & S performance
       • The safety culture of an organisation can be assessed by looking at indicators
         • Indicators include
           • Accidents
             • Sickness rates
               • Absenteeism
                 • Staff turnover
                   • Worker complaints

2. Positive culture

   • Majority of workers think and feel that H & S is important
     • Strong policy and leadership from the top
       • Everyone works safely because they want to
         • People work safely and there will be fewer accidents and ill health

3. Negative culture

   • Majority of workers think that H & S is not important
     • Poorly educated in H & S and see it as unnecessary or not important
       • Lack of clear direction and leadership from management
         • Workers behave unsafely because they do not know any better

4. Influence of peers

   • Established by the more influential members of the group
     • If a group is working safely then peer group pressure will keep most people in that group in line
       • If a group is working unsafely then peer group pressure will force more workers to work unsafely
         • the behaviour of peer groups exert on workers is a good indicator of safety culture
           • In an organisation with a negative culture peer group pressure is driving unsafe behaviours and this has not been challenged by management