When thinking about safety in the workplace, it is easy to focus only on being compliant. OSHA has a set of requirements businesses must adhere to, and Jim Mangas, CEO and founder of Revolutionary Safety Service says that is the bare minimum.  

“You can be compliant with OSHA, and still have serious injuries and fatalities,” he says. 

To ensure proper safety, Mangas believes it is important to go above and beyond simple compliance. As a leader, the priority is simple: ensure every worker makes it home safely each day.

Lead with Care 

One of the best ways to promote safety in the workplace is by making sure employees are looking out for each other. Mangas shares that he often calls this ‘being your brother and sister’s keeper.” Everyone has those days where they are not feeling 100%. Maybe they are tired, or distracted and not focused on the job. In these cases, fellow coworkers are often the first to notice.

“Sometimes it takes one of our coworkers to speak up and make sure we’re okay,” he says. 

An open and transparent communication between coworkers can prevent those hazards, and that starts with strong leadership. A positive company culture and open leaders  can ultimately make or break safety performance. 

Combatting Complacency

Complacency can be a killer, both figuratively and literally. Mangas uses driving as a prime example. Over time, people naturally let their guard down when driving, assuming that because an accident hasn’t happened before, they do not need to worry about basic safety guidelines. 

The same complacency can easily creep into dealerships, where team members are handling heavy machinery every day. It is very easy to overlook a risk because an accident has not happened in the workplace before. Mangas shares that many people he speaks to regarding accidents say that the event was extremely unexpected. However, that is not actually the case. 

“The absence of failure is not an indicator of success,” he says. 

This- mindset often creates a false sense of security. Operating under the hope that “it won’t happen here” is not a strategy, and leaders must actively prepare for the unexpected to avoid being caught off guard if an incident does occur. 

Take a Proactive Approach

A great way to prevent safety issues is to not wait for something bad to happen. It is crucial to get ahead of any potential problems. Actively listening to employees and observing operations helps leaders gain a better understanding of what is going on in the business. If any issues arise, address them immediately.

“We can’t always just Band-Aid™ our issues. We need to be proactive with our people,” Mangas says.

It is not always easy to put people first. Certain decisions made for the collective good can still receive negative feedback. However, it is important to think long-term. While people may be upset temporarily, a physical injury can have a lasting impact.

Integrate Safety into Your Business

It is common to view safety as an island—a separate task that just needs to be checked off. However, Mangas emphasizes that it must be an integral part of the business process.

“To me, safety, quality, and production are one,” he says. “They’re one thing together that is going to succeed together or fail together.”

Although safety should be implemented into everyday tasks, putting it above all else doesn’t always work. Instead, Manga suggests putting people first. 

“If we focus on our people, they’re going to focus on us,” he says. “They’re going to do a better job for us.” 

Building Your Safety Program

Mangas suggest implementing a written program of safety procedures. Whether it’s lockout/tagout, hazard communication or an industry requirement, it helps serve as a daily reminder for employees.

On top of that, training and refresher courses are crucial to keep employees knowledgeable on safety. All new employees should take a safety training course, and everyone should take refresher courses every once in a while. This can ensure that habits of safety are enforced and that employees are staying up to date on precautionary measures. 

It is also imperative to provide proper PPE so that employees have the necessary things to protect themselves. 

On top of providing knowledge and equipment to employees, leaders need to be actively looking for any hazards. This can be done simply through inspecting equipment and searching to see if there are any hazards or anything that could become a hazard. 

Implementing a good safety process doesn’t have to be an all-at-once, overbearing thing. It can be built into the process a little bit at a time. Rather than it happening overnight, doing it over time can ensure everyone is adapting to the process without it feeling overwhelming, Mangas says.

“You don't have to go in and flip the switch, but don't wait for something bad to happen before you respond,” he says. 

Watch the full Safety Is Good Business: Protecting People, Performance, and Profit Webinar here.