2.2: Management Leadership

Management provides the leadership, vision, and resources needed to implement an effective safety and health program. Establish a written policy signed by top management describing the organization’s commitment to safety and health, and pledging to establish and maintain a safety and health program for all workers. By establishing specific goals and objectives, management sets expectations for managers, supervisors, and workers, and for the program overall. Management provides the resources needed to implement the safety and health program, pursue program goals, and address program shortcomings when they are identified. Management leads the program’s effort by establishing roles and responsibilities and providing an open, positive environment that encourages communication about safety and health.

Action items:

1. Communicate your commitment to a safety and health program: A clear, written policy helps you communicate that safety and health is a primary organizational value—as important as productivity, profitability, product or service quality, and customer satisfaction. Establish a written policy signed by top management describing the organization’s commitment to safety and health, and pledging to establish and maintain a safety and health program for all workers. Communicate the policy to all workers and, at appropriate times and places, to relevant parties, including contractors, subcontractors, staffing agencies, temporary workers at your worksite(s), suppliers and vendors, other businesses in a multi-tenant building, visitors, and customers. Reinforce management commitment by considering safety and health in all business decisions, including contractor and vendor selection, purchasing, and facility design and modification. Be visible in operations and set an example by following the same safety procedures you expect workers to follow. Begin work meetings with a discussion or review of safety and health indicators and any outstanding safety items on a “to do” list.

2. Define program goals: By establishing specific goals and objectives, management sets expectations for managers, supervisors, and workers, and for the program overall. The goals and objectives should focus on specific actions that will improve workplace safety and health. Establish realistic, measurable goals for improving safety and health. Goals emphasizing injury and illness prevention should be included, rather than focusing on injury and illness rates. Develop plans to achieve the goals by assigning tasks and responsibilities to particular people, setting timeframes, and determining resource needs.

3. Allocate resources: Management provides the resources needed to implement the safety and health program, pursue program goals, and address program shortcomings when they are identified. Estimate the resources needed to establish and implement the program. Allow time in workers’ schedules for them to fully participate in the program. Integrate safety and health into planning and budgeting processes, and align budgets with program needs. Provide and direct resources to operate and maintain the program, meet safety and health commitments, and pursue program goals.

4. Expect performance: Management leads the program effort by establishing roles and responsibilities and providing an open, positive environment that encourages communication about safety and health. Identify a frontline person or persons who will lead the safety program effort, make plans, coordinate activities, and track progress. Define and regularly communicate responsibilities and authorities for implementing and maintaining the program, and hold people accountable for performance. Provide positive recognition for meeting or exceeding safety and health goals aimed at preventing injury and illness (e.g., reporting close calls/near misses, attending training, conducting inspections). Establish ways for management and all workers to communicate freely and often about safety and health issues, without fear of retaliation.

Top management demonstrates its commitment to continuous improvement in safety and health, communicates that commitment to workers, and sets program expectations and responsibilities. Managers at all levels make safety and health a core organizational value, establish safety and health goals and objectives and provide adequate resources and support for the program, and set a good example.