A safety culture is an organisational culture that places a high level of importance on safety beliefs, values and attitudes, and these are shared by the majority of people within the company or workplace.
Improving an
organization's health and safety culture and performance involves clearly
demonstrating that the organization places a high priority on:
- Preventing injuries
- Minimizing risks
- Solving occupational health and
safety issues
- Investing in control measures
- Engaging the entire workforce in
health and safety
- Being transparent and open about
health and safety
- Leading and striving for continual
improvement in health and safety performance.
Factors that Positively Affect Health & Safety Culture
- Company values and policy are regularly communicated
- Strong leadership is always demonstrated on the importance of work health and safety.
- Personalise safety outcomes so that each worker can know their role in preventing and eliminating risks and hazards
- Develop positive safety attitudes and beliefs that support safe behaviour
- Regularly engage workers on their safety responsibilities and accountabilities
- Increase hazard/risk awareness and preventive behaviours
- Monitor, review and reflect on effectiveness of culture actions and other safety related behaviours.
Factors that Negatively Affect Health & Safety Culture
- Bad management with no commitment
to health & safety
- Poor training and incompetence of
employees
- Lack of motivation
- Poor attitude towards work
- Unsafe behaviour
- Disregard for procedures
- stress and psychosocial risks in the workplace.
