Safety Management Program Stages

Top management has to participate and lead the safety effort to prevent workplace
injuries. Without top management participation and leadership there is no safety
program and accidents become an issue of random fate or luck. Workplace
injuries, to use an economics term, are negative externalities. That is, injuries are
something the company can do without. Other examples are pollution, crime, poor
quality, etc. Workplace injuries are preventable with consistent action focused in
strategic areas. However, not all companies are created equal. Based on
background, resources, industry norms, years in the business and other factors,
most companies will fit into one of the categories below. Management can be
categorized into the following groups of development based on their actions:

Level 1: No Acting

1. No Safety Program.
2. No desire to implement one.
3. No knowledge that a program is needed.
4. Indifference to injuries.
5. Indifference to insurance cost and indirect cost.

Level 1: Slow Acting

1. Top management has no formal program.
2. There is an awareness of the need but no activity to implement one.
3. Accidents are seen as uncontrollable acts of fate.
4. Top management does not have the resources to implement program.
5. Low motivation exist to enhance safety performance.

Level 2: Reacting

1. Top management looks for answers after an event occurs.
2. Symptoms are reviewed but root cause analysis is missing.
3. Safety is on a corrective or reactive basis only.
4. If safety information is provided they will consider the value of it.
5. May take action if insurance rates go up, OSHA visits, or a major event occurs.

Level 3: Pro-acting

1. Top management is aware of the benefits of safety efforts.
2. A written safety program is in place that is top management led.
3. New worker safety education does exist with ongoing education.
4. Responsibility and accountability are assigned.
5. Results are monitored and corrective action is taken on the root cause.
Level 4: Advanced Proacting
1. The company is a consistent safety performer with a credit Mod.
2. The company has a reputation in the industry for working safely.
3. The company seeks to educate other industry peers in safety benefits.
4. The company may be a OSHA Star recipient or other award winner.
5. The company monitors safety, develops and contributes to education.

Proactive management will use terms such as prevent, recognize hazards, identify
weaknesses and evaluate needs.

Reactive management will use terms such as after-math, post injury, respond,
react, replace, restore and remind.

RiskWise wants to be the catalyst and the vehicle to take employers from low
safety performance to upper levels.

With over 15 years in the Workers’ Compensation business, RiskWise has the technical ability to:

> Review your current stage of development.
> Recommend appropriate action to move to the next level.
> Provide Safety, OSHA, Drug Free and Injury Management programs.
> Partner with management to monitor the program and guide employers.