Canadian Occupational Safety (COS) magazine is the premier workplace health and safety publication in Canada. We cover a wide range of topics ranging from office to heavy industry, and from general safety management to specific workplace hazards.
Issue link: https://digital.thesafetymag.com/i/353330
April 2014 25 major improvements in safety perfor- mance. In three out of four mid-sized Ontario companies studied, mid-level individuals, including an EHS co-ordi- nator and an HR manager, drove the improvement. "That's where the sustained energy, creativity, influx of new ideas were happening — at the mid-level. They ended up being the motor of change," she says. Robson's research suggested senior managers should establish regular communication with safety personnel. Also, they can play a more effective role when they prioritize safety with other functions (such as production or quality), ensure it is measured and reported on, and hold people accountable. They should also ensure continual improvement, which includes provid- ing resources for safety staff. "It's too easy to settle for compli- ance with the law," says Robson. In his research at the IWH, Amick found that companies with strong safety leadership tend also to be strong in what he calls "safety diligence." "It's a concern for things. If some- one's not wearing safety glasses, they're told to put them on. They have ergonomic policies and practices in place not just to help people not get injured but also, once they're injured, get them back to work. And they have strong disability management poli- cies," he says. "An organization that's doing well in health and safety isn't doing well in (just) one thing — it's across the board." Comeau's is always seeking ways to improve its OHS program. To increase worker commitment to safety and promote new ideas, for example, employees are asked to lead brief weekly safety, or "tool-box," meetings. "It takes time and commitment. That's the key," says Després. "You don't get it done in a year; you get it done in two years. But when you are there, it's like winning the gold." Linda Johnson is a freelance writer based in Toronto. She can be reached at lindajohnson@sympatico.ca. "Signing the charter is also a com- mitment to invest and to believe in Mission Zero, our philosophy that the only acceptable number of injuries at work, at home, at play, on our farms and roads, is zero," Moker says. Nova Scotia will launch a CEO char- ter later this year. When leaders come together, they become champions for what needs to happen in an organiza- tion, says Stuart MacLean, CEO of the WCBNS in Halifax. "This safety charter is about being visible, about having people at the top of organizations make a vis- ible commitment to something that's important in their workplace," he says. Other charters across Canada include Newfoundland and Labrador's Workplace Health, Safety and Com- pensation Commission (WHSCC)'s CEO Safety Charter, and the FIOSA- MIOSA Safety Alliance of BC's BC Safety Charter. A safety charter proved very success- ful in helping build commitment at Comeau's Sea Foods, says Després. The heads of all departments renew their pledge to safety annually. "It's like a mortgage. If you sign your name on the line, you start saving pennies. It's the same with the safety charter. Once they've signed this char- ter, it's a commitment," he says. The company's strategy, developed with WCBNS, focused first on produc- tion facilities. Executives visited plants regularly. Després resolved to strengthen the company's joint health and safety committee and encouraged other man- agers to participate in its meetings. Comeau's also began requiring workers to report incidents immedi- ately to a supervisor or boat captain, a step that increased reporting and improved data collection. "Our most important asset is employees," Després says. "We live in a rural area, and we know everyone. And we need people every day. Our motto is, they come to work in the morning, and they all go home safely. That's our goal." Currently, the role executives play in the effectiveness of safety policies is the subject of much research. For example, a study conducted by Lynda Robson, associate scien- tist at the IWH, showed that middle managers are often responsible for "It's only by looking at some of the cost savings that an organization can start to understand the return on investment of investing in health and safety practices."