PROUDLY MADE IN CANADA
PROUDLY MADE IN CANADA
The study found that CEOs have the
most direct safety-related influence on
their top managers. Dr. Tucker explained
that the top managers then role model pro-safety
values and behaviours to lower-level
managers and supervisors, and the values
and behaviour cascade right down to the
frontlines.
“We call this process ‘collective social
learning.’ Our data shows that this process
works to create an overall safety climate
that reduces injuries on the frontlines.”
A strong safety culture that permeates
the organization is the linchpin that will re-duce
workplace injuries. The research dem-onstrated
that a culture of workplace safety
is achieved when CEOs, senior managers,
managers and supervisors, and frontline
staff are all aligned in their commitment
to safety.
“It is not enough for CEOs to ‘talk the
talk,’” said Germain. “They need to get down
on the frontlines to see that there is no dis-connect
between what is being said and
what is being done.” He also says that when
a CEO shows up on a worksite, it sends a
strong message that safety matters and the
CEO cares about what is happening on the
frontline.
There must be an accountability mech-anism
in place that works its way from
the top all the way down to the frontline.
Having safety performance measures built
into an annual performance review is one
of the ways in which an organization can
hold everyone accountable for safety.
“Part of the job is making sure every em-ployee
goes home safely,” said Germain. “It’s
surprising how many managers and em-ployees
don’t have safety built into their
performance review.”
Dr. Tucker concurs: “On a daily and
weekly basis, that accountability with their
senior management team is important.
Safety shouldn’t come up once at every
quarterly meeting. It should be something
that is constantly discussed and the CEO
should be receiving reports about employ-ee
health and safety.”
An organization with a strong culture
of safety will likely be a more profitable or-ganization.
Direct and indirect costs for
SAFETY
workplace injuries and fatalities take a
$19-billion toll on the Canadian economy
every year.
“In addition to the devastating loss
of human lives, workplace injuries and
deaths hurt an organization’s bottom line.
The research shows how upper manage-ment
can take a more active role in im-proving
worker safety and the bottom line,”
said Germain. “I am excited to see how
CEOs in industries across Saskatchewan
will draw on the findings of the study and
step up and use their influence to make
workplaces safer.”
“Safety shouldn’t
come up once at
every quarterly
meeting. It should
be something
that is constantly
discussed.”
– Dr. Sean Tucker,
University of Regina
saskheavy.ca | Quarter 2 2017 | Think BIG 37
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