It's all about attitude
Adopt the spirit of total quality management to workplace safety programs
By Claude L. Roberge -- Industrial Distribution, 5/1/1999
SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE is not just a business. It is, in all honesty, my passion, and passion comes with an attitude! But how many companies sell safety with attitude?Many people in management are on the right track. They provide the necessary information, equipment, and meet standards of compliance and/or cover due diligence. Some managers have the attitude that providing information alone, without proper training and attention to detail, is enough. How do we get through to them that is not enough? It has to be the CEO's "attitude."
We need to encourage the real benefits of safety for industry. We need to "get through" that safety be included in the top ten list as a means of improving the bottom line.
What is the cost of safety? In my country [Canada], there are almost one million reported mishaps at work each year and about half result in work-time loss. The treatment of occupational injuries costs about $1.2 billion. Add in the indirect costs, such as productivity losses, and the cost balloons to more than $10 billion -- almost 10 times more, coming from our bottom lines!
CEOs today can work to help change attitudes. We all know that the 90s brought a lot of cost cutting to industry and far from trying to improve health and safety, employers have actually reduced safety measures, training and equipment. Senior managers must realize that safety is not simply a cost, it is an investment with a payback. Safety professionals have to approach the CEO by talking his or her language ... money.
For example, many CEOs are now seeing the value of becoming certified to an ISO 9000 series of standards. Our five plants became certified last year and it made us think about all the processes of total quality management for manufacturing. By carrying through the attitude of TQM to safety, we found that TQM and ISO concepts can evolve into a set of guidelines for a work safety management system. This differs from traditional safety programs that are compliance-oriented and based solely on hazard-specific technical requirements. Those programs often fail because mandated standards are not backed up by requirements for company-wide quality management systems that promote excellence and continuous improvement.
In TQM, the focus of activities, planning and culture is on the customer and the product. In terms of work safety, every employee and manager is a customer. Likewise, the product is safety, no injuries, accidents or work-related illnesses.
Similar to ISO or TQM, in work safety programs top managers must visibly commit to safety; establish a company culture with no tolerance for unsafe practices; and establish effective communications channels to encourage employees to notify managers about hazardous conditions. For their part, employees become empowered to fully participate in work planning and safety, and share in responsibility for a safe work environment. Together, the knowledge of managers and employees enables the company to achieve safety objectives.
For those of you who work for companies that are ISO or TQM certified, think of the possibilities this approach brings to health and safety in the workplace.
The positive attitude that brought us ISO 9000 and TQM is the kind of attitude we need in our industry. If it's good for the customers and the products we produce, it's good for the people we employ.
Claude L. Roberge is president and CEO of Arkon Safety Equipment Inc.
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