Quality management safety professionals’ involvement

There is a remarkable kinship between the principles of quality management and the principles for the practice of safety. Safety professionals involved in soundly based quality management initiatives have opportunities for professional growth and recognition beyond the usual, since that participation allows them to assist in solving problems that impact broadly on quality, productivity, and cost efQciency, as weU as safety. 

Safety professionals involved in quality management have had to become informed on statistical process control methods. I suggest that a broader application of those methods by our profession to measure safety performance would be beneficial. 

Because of their involvement with applied ergonomics and quality management, both of which are design-based, some safety professionals now take a different view of causal factors. As an example, they say that it became apparent to them that for many ergonomics-related injuries and... 

If what is expected in an oiganization for quality management resembles the Baldrige Award Criteria, it would seem prudent for safety professionals to be extensively involved. Obviously, the Criteria have a close resemblance to the requisites of good safety management. 

This chapter is intended to be a primer on quality assurance concepts and to establish that they have a remarkable kinship with the principles for the practice of safety. In some instances, opportunities arise for safety professionals to be involved in quality management initiatives and by doing so they benefit professionally. For other safety professionals, it is to their advantage to become knowledgeable of quality management principles as they relate to the counsel they give. 

Third idea (a refinement of the previous one) conformity with an ideal procedural process is a necessary part of the pat to improving safety. Reducing the diversity of professional practice through the introduction of procedures will naturally result in improved safety. The use of feedback, and the active participation of both the professionals involved and the management in monitoring deviations from procedure and the wider quality process are main tools used to create conformity. 

---