Fair warning

Going beyond the blame game
What should this employer have done instead? “When this kind of
close call occurs, where clearly something more serious could have
resulted,” Roch says, “the incident should be reported, analyzed,
and acted on — without assigning blame.
“For example, say an incident is reported in which an employee
named Tom was repairing a piece of equipment without locking
out. It shouldn’t stop at Tom. Management and supervisors should
be asking, ‘why didn’t Tom lock out?’ and trying to determine
management’s influence in Tom making that decision,” Roch says.
“A sound reporting culture goes beyond the last act before an
incident occurs. The company as a whole has contributed to that
unsafe act. And, if all that happens is the worker is blamed, people
will stop reporting.”
Roch says that means employees must receive the support and
resources they need to make those reports. And it means actively
encouraging employees to be on the alert for any indications that
suggest systems or processes are not working as smoothly as they
ought to be.
Progressive employers lead the charge
Some industries are already taking matters into their own hands.
A group of leaders in the B.C. manufacturing industry is working
with the non-profit FIOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance on a project
expected to ramp up commitment to workplace health and safety
at a senior level.
So far, 46 CEOs have signed on to the Alliance’s new B.C. Safety
Charter. The premise behind the charter is that effective health
and safety management is critical to a company’s long-term
success, profitability, and sustainability. And, part of that
commitment to health and safety involves developing a strong
reporting culture.
Sandra Oldfield, who runs the Tinhorn Creek winery in B.C.’s
Interior, is one of the charter’s inaugural signatories. Oldfield says
10
“If you find yourself saying,
‘it’s only a matter of time
before somebody gets hurt,’
it’s a strong indication that
something needs to be done.”
—Ray Roch, director of the Fire
Inspection and Prevention Initiative
March / April 2013 WorkSafe Magazine
her company’s commitment to reporting mishaps and near-misses
is key to addressing health and safety oversights. Recently, in fact,
she asked FIOSA-MIOSA to examine this issue as it conducted a
“safety-gap analysis” on her operation.
“I was confident we had a great health and safety program,” she
says. “But we weren’t even close.” The 10-month analysis detected
800 potential hazards in the vineyard and wine cellar, where
employees face complex issues associated with pesticide handling
and working in and around large tanks, heavy barrels, and
confined spaces.
“With the association’s help, we’ve since redone the program to the
‘nth degree,’ with new, built-in systems for better reporting,” she
says. “Now employees are expected to speak up about risky
behaviours or near-misses.” What’s more, Oldfield is promising
incentives for regular reporting. Recently, she offered a free bottle
of wine to take home, for employees who catch her appearing to do
anything unsafe — and who call her on it. “I want to hear about the
hazards, no matter what, or who, is involved.”
The company is reaping the rewards. “During the process, we’ve
seen our premiums go down,” she says. “But the biggest savings
are from rejigging our operations so that we’re more efficient.
Looking at safety forces you to communicate, to get rid of overlaps,
and to streamline. This revamped health and safety program is
actually saving us tens of thousands of dollars.”
Beyond lip service
In order to reap the benefits of improved health and safety,
however, Roch says supervisors and management teams need to
demonstrate that they really care about safety — and that means
welcoming employees who report problems and minor incidents on
a day-to-day basis. “It means putting safety alongside production in
terms of priorities. So, if I need 45 widgets by 4:30 p.m., and that’s
a tall order, I have to ask myself, ‘how do my employees fulfill that
order safely?’ There has to be an explicit reference to safety. I can’t
just assume employees know I care about their safety; I have to