Safety systems management leadership

This chapter describes the implications of STAMP on operations. Some topics that are relevant here are left to the next chapter on management organizational design, safety culture and leadership, assignment of appropriate responsibilities throughout the safety control structure, the safety information system, and corporate safety policies. These topics span both development and operations and many of the same principles apply to each, so they have been put into a separate chapter. A final section of this chapter considers the application of STAMP and systems thinking principles to occupational safety. 

Simon expressed the view that the culture drives the behavior and that a culture change is required for success in behavior-based safety. A culture assessment (such as the Simon Open System Culture Change Model) measures the culture process and impacts on the whole of operations —the technology, tmst, leadership, symbols of the culture, et cetera. He also advised that before a behavior-based initiative is undertaken, management leadership must have been established. That s implicit. This factor cannot be overlooked. These are excerpts from Simon s paper titled The Culture Change Model of Behavioral Safety ... 

Annual safety system audit subteam An audit of the entire safety system or program ought to be conducted annually in the same way the company s financial and quality systems are audited. This should be a management review with some senior leadership and the safety team leadership both involved in conducting the audit. 

A common factor in all accredited safety management systems (SMS) is an element that calls for management leadership and commitment to the safety and health process. It is almost guaranteed that any attempt to change or improve the safety culture at any workplace will fail if there is not total commitment, leadership, and management involvement from the executive right down to and including frontline supervision. 

The degree of integration of safety principles and standards, and employee involvement in the system, is directly proportional to the amount of management leadership and commitment. The more encouragement and support management gives employees, the more positive their attitude will become and the more they will partake in the safety system. 

The introduction and maintenance of a structured safety system will lead to a safety culture change within the organization. If one considers the effort, commitment, and change to the way safety is normally managed in a plant, the safety system will bring about a culture change. It will force leadership to become leaders and to create a positive environment where employees can feel comfortable participating in the safety activities. 

Once a formal safety system is in place, managers are clear on their safety role and responsibilities. They are participants in safety that is facilitated by them being a member of the safety leadership team committee or other safety committee on their level. Their job descriptions also contain their safety dnties, actions, and functions. Often performance ratings are linked to key performance areas that are proactive safety activities, such as scoring 90% or more on monthly honsekeeping inspections, achieving an internal safety audit score of 85%, etc. 

To drive the system at the plant, the safety leadership team comprising all the divisional managers was formed with the sole purpose of promoting, driving, and supporting the Five-Star Safety System. They met monthly, and the newly appointed safety director reported to them at their monthly meetings. 

It should be understood that Section 3.0 is the standard s most important section. Safety professionals will surely agree that Top management leadership and effective employee participation are crucial for the success of an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS). Top management leadership is vital because it sets the organization s safety culture and because continual improvement processes cannot be successful without sincere top management direction. Key statements in the shall column of the standard follow ... 

While not easy to do, safety professionals must prepare the data that may convince management to recognize the possible systemic causal factors which have accumulated and to take action to reduce them. Thus, to achieve a significant reduction in the potential for low-probability/severe-consequence incidents occurring, a different mind-set and change in culture have to be achieved. All this relates to Management Leadership and Employee Participation. 

Management Leadership and Employee Participation is the most important section in ZIO. Safety is culture-driven, and leaders create the culture. It is the responsibility of leadership to change the safety culture when it is deficient. Top administrators must take responsibility for risk management by remaining alert to the effects their decisions have on the work system. Leaders are responsible for establishing the conditions and the atmosphere that lead to their subordinates successes or failures. 

The effectiveness of the processes outlined in ZlO s Section 3.0, Management Leadership and Employee Participation, would be the basis of performance measurements on employee input. The provisions in Section 3.2, Employee Participation, states that The organization shall establish and implement processes to ensure effective participation in the occupational health and safety management system by its employees at all levels of the organization, including those working closest to the hazard(s). ... 

A1. Are all the elements (such as Management Leadership and Employee Involvement, Worksite Analysis, Hazard Prevention and Control, and Safety and Health Training) and subelements of a basic safety and health management system part of a signed, written document Have all VPP elements and subelements been in place at least 1 year Is the written safety and health management system at least minimally effective to address the scope and complexity of the hazards at the site ... 

It was also stated in Chapter 1 that Section 7.0, the Management Review section, was a close second in importance. Maintaining superior management leadership requires that evaluations be made of the effectiveness of safety processes so that improvements can be made where necessary. The Management Review provisions in ZIO require gathering, at least annually, the data necessary to assess The performance of the occupational health and safety nnanagement systems relative to expectations. Action items for improvement are to be drafted as that performance assessment is made. 

Management commits to operating an effective occupational safety and health management system characterized by four basic elements management leadership and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training. 

First, let s review a list of principal management leadership traits we have seen effectively utilized throughout our careers in various industries and work environments. For practical purposes, we will focus only on a few of the more apparently critical attributes we have observed, which have helped to maintain a keen focus on the impact of leadership and the safety culture s management system. The list includes, but is not limited to, the following ... 

In this chapter, we will describe ways to provide visible leadership. Refer to Table 6-1 for a summary of management leadership traits. Ideally, this means participation in the process that demonstrates concern for every aspect of the safety of all employees throughout the organization. In addition, we have included a description of a management system for making sure that contract employees are also protected from hazards and prevented from endangering employees of the owner-company. 

Management commitment filters down from the top leadership through all levels of the organization. For our discussion, we will be using the term leadership team in order to incorporate all levels of management and supervision. The leadership team commitment is considered the driving force found in all successful safety management systems. The leadership team provides the vision/mission and direction as well as adequate resources to ensure... 

According to OSHA, management leadership and employee involvement are the most important elements of a safety management system. Review the descriptions of each role and provide your opinion as to which roles would be the most important. Support your opinion with some examples from your personal experience and/or research. 

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