Paperwork or Strong Health & Safety Leadership?

Health and Safety compliance is important and must be evidenced but paperwork often leads to more paperwork and doesn’t necessarily keep people safe. Should we prioritise paperwork over strong health and safety leadership or aim to find the right balance between both?

You must be doing everything right, right?

You have a form to prove it.

Health and safety leadership prioritises the physical and mental well-being of all employees, customers, and visitors. It is a ‘behaviour-based leadership’ approach to effective health and safety leadership which positively impacts staff behaviour, increasing awareness and motivation while reducing incidents.

Telltale signs of Effective Health and Safety Leadership:

A good health and safety leader takes responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others in the workplace. They walk the talk, not just talk the talk and intervene confidently when they see unsafe conditions or behaviour.

• Good safety leaders educate and encourage others to speak up without fear of judgment and resolve safety issues once they have been identified.

  
  

• Safety leaders promote good practice wherever possible and celebrate success but also speak up when things could be improved.

  
  

• They make the argument for adequate health and safety funding and though soft skills to pressure those with spending power to prioritise safety within the budget.

  
  

• They motivate others in the workplace to prioritise health and safety and sell the benefits of good health and safety to all employees within the organisation.

  
  

• A good health and safety leader takes responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others in the workplace.

Benefits of good health and safety leadership.

·         Legal Compliance

Reduces the risk of prosecution and closure, ensuring job security.

·         Financial Benefits

Lower insurance premiums and increased productivity.

·         Workplace Atmosphere

Promotes a safe and reassuring environment for visitors and customers

A good health and safety leader sets a positive example by prioritising best practices and consistently ensuring their own and their colleagues’ safety.

A practical approach to health and safety leadership.

Leadership responsibility: All company directors and top-level staff should practice good safety leadership.

Leadership impact: Good safety leadership sets a precedent for all staff.

Characteristics of a goodsafety leader: They anticipate needs, sell the benefits of good health and safety, and show investment in protecting people from harm.

Goal of good safety leadership: Set people up for success.

Leadership style: Avoid vague instructions and provide clear, specific health and safety objectives across your organisation and with timeframes.

Staff engagement: Keep staff motivated by providing clear directions and avoiding general criticism.

Resource Allocation: Ensure staff have access to necessary resources, such as safety equipment and training on its use. Allow sufficient time for employees to succeed in safety.

Acknowledging good practice

Each day without an incident as a success for the organisation and everyone who works there. If health and safety isn’t seen as positive, staff won’t be interested in participating. Acknowledging good practice is crucial for a successful health and safety strategy.

A good leader champions their staff’s positive safety achievements, no matter how small.

Summary

Health and Safety Leadership Definition: Prioritises the physical and mental well-being of all employees, customers, and visitors through a ‘behaviour-based leadership’ approach.

Good Health and Safety Leadership Characteristics: Anticipate needs, sell the benefits of good health and safety, and show investment in protecting people from harm.

Good Health and Safety Leadership Actions: Take responsibility for safety, intervene confidently when needed, promote good practice, and allocate resources for safety.

Safety Leadership: A good health and safety leader takes responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others, motivates colleagues to prioritise health and safety, and resolves safety issues.

Benefits of Safety Leadership: Legal compliance, financial benefits, and a positive workplace atmosphere.

Practical Application: Identify and outline specific health and safety objectives with timeframes.

Leadership Style: Provide clear directions and ensure staff have necessary resources and training.

Positive Reinforcement: Acknowledge and appreciate good practice, emphasising the positive benefits of health and safety.

Leading by Example: Visibly follow policies and procedures with enthusiasm to demonstrate commitment to health and safety.

At Yorkshire Health and Safety, we build strong relationships with clients based on communication, collaboration, commitment, trust and aligning with your key safety performance goals.

With over 30 years’ experience delivering successful projects for clients and working with clients’ principal contractors, we know the challenges that come with delivering successful projects, be it commercial, industrial, construction manufacturing, housebuilding, refurbishment, shopfitting and office interiors.

If you require further assistance with any of the topics raised in this post or assistance with current or future projects, please get in touch.

Yorkshire Health and Safety