Conducting Business Safely

Why is safety management important?

Small and medium business owners have a vital role to play when it comes to leading safety. When workers know their leader places high importance on safety, they are more likely to be motivated to follow safety procedures and raise safety issues.

There are a number of benefits to having an effective work health and safety management system as a safe and healthy workplace is one of the keys to the success of your business. Benefits can include lower absenteeism rates, such as sick days and fewer business disruptions, by keeping production and sales going.

In most countries, businesses have the primary duty of care for safe and healthy working conditions. Business owners and leaders must ensure the health and safety of their workers as far as it is reasonably practicable as well as others such as visitors and customers.

Business owners or those who make decisions that affect the business— referred to as ‘officers’ in most countries’ legislation — must exercise due diligence and make sure the business complies with its health and safety obligations. This includes making sure there are appropriate practices or systems of work in place as well as actively monitoring and evaluating health and safety at the workplace.

What contributes to good safety management governance?

Any organisation can devel­op good safety gov­er­nance prac­tices. The key is to under­stand the foun­da­tions of good safety management and how these will apply to your company. 

Set out below are the main principles to help you develop your safety leadership practices and create a workplace culture that promotes safety:

  1. Leadership commitment to safety
  2. Establishing safety goals and making all workers responsible
  3. Safety policies, procedures and guidelines
  4. Staff commitment, training, participation and feedback
  5. Measuring, monitoring and reporting safety incidents and legal requirements

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