The definition is simple: safety culture refers to the ways that safety issues are addressed in a workplace. It reflects attitudes, beliefs, and values employees share in relation to safety. A strong safety culture is key, especially today when so many companies in the oil industry are cutting jobs to hold the bottom line. With fewer people doing the work, there is a chance corner could be cut in an attempt to maintain certain levels of productivity.
Considering petroleum industry workers are handling hazardous materials, there is always a chance something could go wrong and that could lead to people getting hurt, workplace shutdowns, financial losses, and a blemish on a company’s reputation. Safetybiz’s Jay Preston told Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, “the three biggest issues are falls, toxins, and catastrophes.”
Safety culture checklist
A paper released by the National Energy Board lists the key factors to protecting your employees and ensuring you have a strong safety culture in place:
- leaders demonstrate safety is their overriding value and priority
- everyone is aware of known hazards while remaining vigilant to new threats.
- every employee feels empowered and is recognized for making safe decisions.
- employees feel encouraged to report safety hazards
- Everyone, including most junior employees, would not hesitate to take action in response to a safety concern without fear of disciplinary action or reprisal.
- people work safely regardless of whether or not someone is watching
- the organization is continually learning from its own and others’ experiences
Leadership is obviously key because if the attitudes of senior management are not backed up with the appropriate actions, lives could be at risk.
To learn more about how you can keep your employees safe, take a closer look at some of Katch Kan’s products. In particular the Rig Safety System. With this in place on drilling rigs, slips and falls are reduced, hands are protected and our Kelly Kan ensures fluids don’t spray on your employees.
