How do we build a positive safety culture in the organisation?

Follow the instructions and be the role model. Every culture starts with an " I ".

Safety culture of an organization is the way that all the people within the organization think and feel about health and safety and how this translate into behavior. It can be defined as shared attitudes, value, beliefs and behavior relating to H&S.

The Safety Culture of an organization can be assessed by looking into indicators such as incidents/ accident, sickness rates, absenteeism, staff turn over, non compliance to the rules and worker complaints.

The factors which could lead to deterioration of H&S culture include: Lack of leadership commitment, Blame culture, H&S receiving low priority, organizational changes, poor management system and procedures etc.

To promote HSE, Management Commitment is the First and mandatory step. For doing this you have to communicate with the top management with proofs of the indicators listed above. Prepare presentations, lesson learned, safety posters. Prepare KPIs showing both leading and lagging indicators and put true values. Once the management comes to know the exact picture and importance of HSE, they will surely support you.

Implement a management system in compliance with ISO1, provide proper training and spread the culture of safety through your top management commitment 

We promote safety culture by conducting positive awareness, trainings and reporting near misses.

Top Management play a major role and they are the biggest influence by promoting safety behaviors in the workplace.

The important thing to grasp is that this question is not about safety. 

It's about culture change.

Culture change is always tricky, because you're trying to get sentient beings to think in a different way.   However, done well, it can be extremely successful.

1) Be clear in your own mind about what you want.  What is your desired endstate.  You must be able to write it down on a piece of paper, and explain it verbally to somebody who isn't really interested.

2) Make your plan.

3) Create the new systems and procedures; obtain any new equipment required.

3) Tell your employees how you want them to behave differently.  Be extremely clear.   Tell them again.  And then again.  Be even more clear.

4) Prove to your employees that this change is important, and it will benefit them individually and directly.   It is vital that they accept the idea of the culture change otherwise it will not happen.  You make the decision to change the culture, and to what, but that change affects them a lot more than it affects you so the more involved they are in designing and implementing the changes the better.

5) Show your employees what to do.Train them in the new systems and then get them to practice.  Correct mistakes kindly, and refine and improve the procedures as they are tested in the field.

6) Start implementing the "stick": the consequences for not following the new system.  If things have gone well you won't have to use it.

Throughout, you must be fair and consistent.   Remember that your primary role is to decide what you want and explain why it is worthwhile: how the business gets from here to there is a joint exercise between you and the employees.

To improve safety culture, you must ensure that everybody (including top management, which can be the hardest bit) understand that good safety practice saves money in the long run.  No breaks in production to deal with accidents, no compensation or legal battles, no hiring unknown people to replace experienced workers who have been hurt, no reputational problems ....

First one needs to know the maturity level of the culture or else you would be found wanting when trying to solve the problem. So a good start will be conducting a culture survey. Metrics to weigh your survey against are: effective communication, commitment from leadership like the provision of resources in the management of safety, employees' responsibilities in health and safety spelled out clearly. After the survey one should be able to see the baseline and start making action plans to develop the culture. Employ someone to drive it. A safety manager should be in that position. Note that the Safety manager is just to drive but not own it. Ownership must lie with managers and employees and this should be demonstrated by leadership.

A positive safety culture can be built by 

top management commitment to the safety rules and regulations

top management involvement in safety issues

workers consultations 

reasonable communication among workers and management 

making safety of workers at first priority

To promote HSE, Management Commitment is the First and mandatory step. For doing this you have to communicate with the top management with proofs of the indicators listed above. Prepare presentations, lesson learned, safety posters. Prepare KPIs showing both leading and lagging indicators and put true values. Once the management comes to know the exact picture and importance of HSE, they will surely support you.

Hi all,

I am not willing to write the deifintions and theory.

Here are few Excersise You can start at Your work Site to improve the culture in a positive stream-

#1  Provide Safety Training cum observation Card to your workmen and have a survey, providing training is only one way of communication. Getting feedback about workplace culture is realy magical thing. Repeat and Repeat

#2 Develop some quizes, Games related to HSE and incorporate appreciation (monetory or similar) and start appreciating the people for good actions. Create a positive compettion.

#3 Adress each employee by their name and try to counsel 1 employee each day for 5-10 minute (Just ask about his/her family and related things) do not ask about HSE or any thing n starting just be personal in personal talk. Try to get objective of employee for doing the Job. Start injecting HSE association with his Personal Life. This method works and changes the behaviour of employees towards HSE as you move with the worker. 

#4 Get Manamgement's confidence in HSE, highlight the benefits, improvements and set examples.

Hi friend i think  first of all need to make a strong safety policy ( it is a written statement of the company's approach to achieve acceptable HSE Results.

HSE policy confirms commitment that HSE is given the highest priority in the company's business.

for example: ( see sample documents at the end)

if we can follow few point then a positive safety culture in the any organisation like ( construction engineering )

1. creates HSE awareness through training
2.  Participates in sessions of basic safety orientation and tool box talk(TBT) before starts the work.
3.  Arrange safety meetings and safety talks.
4.  Carry out safety inspections and audits.
5.  visit the work area, before start of work to identify potential hazards, carry out risk assessment and take care of hazards.
6. Manage accident reporting and investigation.
7. Handle work permits if required.
8. Ensure HSE procedures are followed all the time and maintain violations records.
9. Maintains a regular channel of communication with customer to achieve HSE objectives.
10. Provides the inputs for HSE news bulletin as required.
11. oversee disposal of  wastes.
12. Maintain first aid Facililties

 SAFETY CULTURE STARTS WITH SENIOR MANAGEMENT , CEO  down , to enable buy in form the shop floor all management must follow the rules and be proactive. 

Lead by example , appointed safety reps show the way , include all staff down to the Cleaner and tea lady  this is how a culture begins and become positive