You’ve conducted your risk assessment, updated your standard operating procedures and communicated your latest Health and Safety policy to your team on the ground. But how can you guarantee that the information you’re communicating, designed to protect your employees, is being digested and implemented in all areas of your business?

The answer is you can’t guarantee 100% that your health and safety policy and procedures are being implemented by every member of your organisation during their working hours. However, the approach you take to communicating and engaging with your employees can build a solid foundation for a positive health and safety culture, increasing the likelihood of effective implementation.

 

How do I implement a positive Health and Safety culture?

A positive health and safety culture cannot be implemented overnight and should be seen as a long-term activity aimed at the continuous improvement of your organisation’s Safety Management System.

To build the foundation of a positive health and safety culture within your organisation, you should look to focus on building a symbiotic relationship between team members and a living health and safety management system, focusing on the 3 key areas:

• Engagement
• Planning
• Mobilisation

 

Collaborative Health And Safety

Good occupational health and safety policies ought to be conducted with continuous collaboration from all team members within the organisation. This will result in real-world continuously improving health and safety policies and procedures that will be applicable to the people you are aiming to protect.

We are risk management and health and safety experts. Read more about how we have successfully implemented our Two-Way Health and Safety Management System:

Implementing an effective Safety Management System with collaboration from your team will encourage your team to engage with the health and safety procedures. The importance of employee engagement cannot be underestimated and is fundamental in ensuring that your health and safety policies are realised by your team and contractors.

 

Trickle Down Effect

Positive health and safety culture and good occupational health and safety practices not only benefit your employees, but it will also benefit your organisation and other organisations and contractors you work with or alongside.

According to research conducted by Loughborough University, large-scale businesses, (in particular construction projects) that exhibit good health and safety practices, are improving health and safety practices in SMEs. Evidence has shown that good health and safety practices that are in place in large-scale projects are observed by small and medium-sized businesses, who are in turn implementing these same practices in their own workforce. This is known as a ‘trickle down’ effect.

Large-scale operators have the opportunity to be leaders in the development of good occupational health and safety practices within their industries. Influencers will have the ability to drive good practice throughout the supply chain and can work collaboratively in promoting the implementation of cohesive and effective Safety Management Systems for the benefit of both organisations and the individuals within them.

Lead researcher Dr Wendy Jones, School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering (ABCE), commented in OS&H Journal article, who reviewed the research, stating that:

“Major projects have an important role to play in setting high expectations of their contractors in relation to health management and supporting them to reach these. This can help drive improvements through the sector”.

 

Proactive Protection

Asking for feedback and working collaboratively with your team members will not only be protected but will also feel their safety and well-being is being cared for will result in a better working environment. Encourage a better work culture by asking for feedback from your teams and implementing suggestions that are to the benefit for the majority within the organisation.

Be proactive and make sure your Health and Safety Management System is effective for the benefit of both your employees and your company.

 

Award Winning Practices

Due to the continued development of our internal engagement and communication strategy, the Lucion Group have seen continued year-on-year decreases in the number of accidents/incidents throughout the company. 

Developing our communication methods and investing in effective engagement with our team members has altered our health and safety culture within the organisation. We are proud to say that we are a team lead organisation whereby improvements and development in our health and safety policies, procedures and practices are heavily influenced by our team member’s TCBA observation submissions. 

The development of our health and safety practices and investment into improving our engagement with team members has been fundamental to upholding our double RoSPA Gold awards for Fleet Safety and Health and Safety. Our health and safety culture has not been manufactured or created for the purposes of the business, but instead, it formed naturally through the interactions of our people and developed from our operations. 

As a group, we will continue to grow. Our 2022/2027 5 year vision outlines our continual direction towards protecting people and planet. This includes continuing to find new and innovative ways to invest in our health and safety practices. 

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