Enterprise Safety Engagement

Nearly 5,000 workers die each year in the U.S., of over 3 per 100,000.  This has remained relative consistent over the years regardless of how many changes there have been in OSHA regulations,  There are close to 4 million work-related injuries and illnesses reported.  However, many believe that under-reporting is widespread.
 

Experts agree that while worker deaths and accidents can never be eliminated, there remain opportunities for improvement by addressing the long-overlooked human factor. Many feel that OSHA regulations could do a better job of addressing all the ways organizations can engage employees and other stakeholders in safety and well-being by connecting the dots between all stakeholders and engagement factors involved.
 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has stated that:

“Employers that invest in workplace safety and health can expect to reduce fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. This will result in cost savings in a variety of areas, such as lowering workers' compensation costs and medical expenses, avoiding OSHA penalties, and reducing costs to train replacement employees and conduct accident investigations. In addition, employers often find that changes made to improve workplace safety and health can result in significant improvements to their organization's productivity and financial performance.”

Despite the compelling economics, management often overlooks the return on investment of minimizing accidents, not only in concrete costs but in overall stakeholder engagement. By addressing safety as part of an enterprise approach to engagement, safety can be baked into the culture and all the ways organizations actualize it with all stakeholders to achieve sustainable results.
 

A new chapter in Enterprise Engagement: The Roadmap 5th edition “utilizes ISO Quality Management standards to map out how organizations can make enterprise safety engagement a part of their culture, engagement processes, and human capital scorecard.”

The map as explained to the safety audience contains much the same categories as the Employee Engagement model of only a few short years ago.  They include:

• ·       Creating a culture of safety values with clear objectives
• ·       Prepare and coach leadership and assess current levels 
• ·       Communications
• ·       Job Design
• ·       Training
• ·       Innovation
• ·       Community
• ·       Rewards and Recognition
• ·       Measurement and Analytics

Unlike traditional approaches to safety programs, ISO 10018 seeks integration and alignment of all stakeholders: customers, distribution partners, employees and communities.

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