In today’s environment, improved performance and growth. Within our Caribbean context of small, fragile economies, this reality is further magnified. In our quest to achieve these objectives however, business leaders must be willing to adapt their strategies to harness the existing potential in their organisations. Enhanced application of sound risk management principles can assist in this regard as well as encompass the moral, legal and financial implications associated with workplace safety.
While some business leaders express a desire or commitment to preventing serious injuries and deaths among employees, they are often challenged by the trade-off between achieving financial targets and the expenditures required to maintain a safe workplace.
Let us therefore examine the benefits to be derived from a simple change in perspective. Rather than viewing expenditure associated with OSH initiatives as an unwanted but necessary cost, consider the money spent as investments towards improved performance, growth and sustainability.
Throughout our region, as well as in the US and Europe, there have been multiple instances of safety system failures which have occurred as a result of the pressure to reduce expenditures and increase profits. These decisions have led to delays in critical maintenance and repairs of equipment, postponement or suspension of training, and neglect of critical proactive monitoring activities, such as risk assessments and inspections. The end result has been incidents involving injuries and /
or death, as well as damage to critical costly pieces of equipment. There are significant costs associated with each of these outcomes. This however, does not have to be our continued story. Companies can be successful, while simultaneously embracing Safety as a Core Value. It begins with the perspective that ALL workplace accidents are preventable. More importantly, it is rooted in an organisation-wide understanding that profitability, operational excellence, and resilience, are intimately linked to sound and consistent safety management practices. So, where do we start?
Title | Description | Download |
---|---|---|
Why Take Safety in the Workplace Seriously? | Written by Brian Reid, Lead Consultant Irisk Consulting Group | Download |