Approaches to Fostering Compliance

Setting Organizational Safety Rules, Policies, and Implementation Strategy 

Maintaining and improving a system require sustained financial support. However, increasing safety does not have to be expensive. Strong leadership can lead to changes in personal behavior that can result in improved chemical safety and security. Changing personal behavior can be an effective and inexpensive way to improve chemical safety and security. 

In some developing countries, heat and humidity are excessive during most of the year and mechanical ventilation and air conditioning are unavailable. Appropriate actions should be taken to keep people comfortable while they comply with safety practices and rules. For example, one university in the Philippines made it possible to work in humid conditions by purchasing antifog chemical splash goggles for laboratory workers. 

Working while physically or mentally tired is one of the most common causes of laboratory accidents, near-miss incidents, and lapses of security. Workers and students need to look out for each other and encourage ill or exhausted coworkers to leave the laboratory and get rest or sleep so that they will be able to meet the stress and effort of work. The organization should support workers and students in participating in interesting, extracurricular activities on a regular basis to reduce mental stress and achieve a more balanced life. Happy, rested workers make an organization productive and safe. 

Rules for safe behavior and penalties for their violation should be widely publicized, in advance, to make everyone aware of them. If people know that negligent or deliberately risky behavior in laboratories or breaches in security will have no consequences, they will have little incentive to change their habits. Consequences of safety or security violations could include publicity of the violations, restrictions on use of laboratory facilities and 

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