Setting The Right Work Health and Safety Leadership For Your Employees

 

Ever heard of the phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do?” This isn’t the case with WHS. When managing safety, managers should set an example for employees by showing their commitment to WHS by following all safety procedures whilst highlighting their importance and raising safety issues to workers.

Leadership within a workplace is crucial to a thriving work safety culture. Leaders are those who have an influence on employee behaviours and attitudes at all levels of a business, such as site managers, front line supervisors, and middle-level managers. Using a positive management style can improve a workplaces’ overall Work Health and Safety performance.

Safe Work Australia Members have developed 5 leadership principles to assist the development of workplace safety cultures including;

  1. Commit to safety

  2. Get involved

  3. Encourage Participation

  4. Make WHS part of your business

  5. Review your performance

Safe Work Australia also raises the importance of engagement and consultation for WHS in your workplace. Engagement refers to involving all workers in decisions and consultation is a legal requirement essential to managing WHS risks. Engaging and Consulting requires you to;

  • Share relevant WHS information with workers

  • Give workers reasonable opportunity to raise health and safety issues

  • Give workers reasonable opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process relating to health and safety matters

  • Tell workers about the outcomes of any consultation in a timely matter

Engaging and consulting workers help you to make better decisions about WHS matters, and helps to reduce work-related death, injury, and disease.

For more information, contact Safe Industries Australia.

 
Jacquie BakerSafe Industries Australia