In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by KPA, we hear from Taylor Thorn, Senior Product Director at KPA, about what goes into building a strong safety culture.
Q: What’s the best way to measure the effectiveness of your company’s safety culture?
In high-stakes industries, a robust safety culture isn’t just a goal—it’s a necessity. A strong safety culture protects your workforce, drives organizational success, and creates an environment where your employees feel safe. It’s the difference between a workplace where safety is seen as a priority and one where it’s an afterthought.
It is essential to measure the effectiveness of your safety culture to see how much of an impact it is making. An influential safety culture is at every level of the organization, which helps to reduce incidents and enhance overall performance. How can you assess how strong your safety culture is? Start by looking at these key indicators:
- Employee engagement and feedback: How engaged are your employees in safety initiatives? Regular feedback can highlight areas of concern or complacency.
- Observation of safety behaviors: Monitoring employees’ adherence to safety procedures shows the culture’s strength.
- Frequency and types of safety incidents: Reducing incidents tends to indicate a positive safety culture.
- Near-miss reporting rates: High near-miss reporting rates often reflect a proactive safety culture where employees feel comfortable reporting potential hazards.
To effectively measure these aspects, you can use:
- Surveys and questionnaires: Regular surveys can gauge employee perceptions of safety and highlight areas for improvement.
- Safety audits and inspections: These provide an objective measure of compliance and can reveal gaps in your safety culture.
- Behavioral observations and safety scorecards: Tracking safety-related behaviors with scorecards quantifies cultural aspects that are otherwise difficult to measure.
Q: How can leadership set the tone to create an effective safety culture?
Leadership plays an important role in shaping an effective safety culture. When leaders demonstrate a commitment to safety, it shows that safety is non-negotiable. Leaders can promote a strong safety culture through:
- Regular communication: Reinforce the importance of safety priorities with consistent communication.
- Leading by example: Modeling safe behavior sets a standard for the organization.
- Providing resources and training: Ensure that your employees have the tools and information needed to work safely.
- Encouraging open communication: Creating an environment where employees are comfortable reporting concerns without fear of retaliation.
Q: How can you calculate your safety ROI?
Another critical aspect of building a strong safety culture is understanding the financial impact of safety initiatives through return on investment (ROI). Safety ROI justifies safety expenditures by linking them to financial outcomes, including both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs include medical expenses, workers’ compensation, and legal fees, while indirect costs include lost productivity, employee turnover, and reputational damages.
Calculating safety ROI involves:
- Collecting and analyzing data: Gather data on incident rates, safety-related costs, and outcomes of safety initiatives.
- Estimating financial impact: Calculate financial benefits from safety improvements, such as reduced incidents or lower insurance premiums.
- Comparing costs and benefits: Weigh the costs of safety initiatives against the financial benefits realized to determine ROI.
Q: What metrics should your safety program be measuring?
To ensure continuous improvement, it is key to measure the right metrics. While each organization will have different metrics that align with their business objectives, some important metrics include:
- Incident and injury rates
- Near-miss rates
- Safety training completion rates
- Employee participation in safety programs
- Safety audit and inspection results
Keep in mind that tracking metrics isn’t just a passive action—they should drive continuous improvement. Set goals based on your metrics to establish realistic safety targets. Regularly review your safety data to identify trends and highlight areas of your program that could be enhanced. It’s important to use data-driven insights to adjust your safety programs to drive that continuous improvement.
Building and sustaining a strong safety culture requires ongoing commitment. Organizations can create safer workplaces that protect employees and drive success by effectively measuring safety culture, leveraging leadership influence, calculating safety ROI, and tracking essential metrics. Reflect on your current safety culture and think about what steps you can take to strengthen it. Fostering a culture where safety is engrained in each aspect of the organization sets the foundation for success.
To effectively manage and enhance your safety culture, consider KPA Flex, an all-in-one EHS software solution tailored to your needs. Flex simplifies safety program management with real-time incident tracking, mobile field reporting, and comprehensive training tools, making it easier to track metrics, engage employees, and ensure compliance. By integrating Flex, you can align safety goals with operational objectives and drive continuous improvement. Get your custom demo to see for yourself how KPA Flex can strengthen your safety culture.