W e d n e s d a y, 1 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 4
Element 4
Negative Culture:
In an organization with a weak negative safety culture the majority of workers thinks and feels that health and
safety is not important; they are poorly educated in health and safety. There is a lack of clear direction and
leadership from senior management. Managers do not think about health and safety in their decision making and
priorities other things on safety.
Accidents
Sickness Rates
Absenteeism
Staff turnover
Uncertainty
Blame Culture
Poor
Communication
Conflicting
priorities
Lack of
Consultation
The job Factors the task that they are carrying out
These are behavior characteristics of workers job that influence their safety related behavior
Characteristics of the work itself like worker need to bend or stoop over while working
Mental demands of the job like worker has to handle large volumes of work in short time.
The organization Factors characteristics of the organization that they are working for
These are the characteristics of organization that influence workers behavior
Levels of supervision.
Training
Communication
Outline the influenced of a workers attitude, aptitude and motivation of their safety
related behavior and considered the importance of perception?
There are three personality characteristics of an individual that may influence their
safety related behavior
Attitude
Aptitude
Motivation
Attitude:
An attitude is a persons point of view of looking at something; how they feel about it. Changing attitudes is
notoriously difficult but can be done using following method such as:
Enforcement
Aptitude:
Aptitude refers to an individuals innate ability to learn and acquire new skills. For example some people have an
aptitude for using computers other for languages.
Motivation:
Motivation can be defined as persons drive towards a goal. Workers often behave unsafely not because they are
willful, but because they perceive a reward and they think that the risk is worth the reward. Their unsafe behavior
is incentivized.
2. Mistakes
Mistakes:
When a person does something deliberately thinking that it is correct thing to do, but it is not. For example an
airline pilot caused a plane crash when he deliberately switched off an engine that he thought was on fire. The
engine was in fact functioning normally it was the other engine that was malfunctioning
Violations:
People in workplace also commit violations. They deliberately break rules knowing it is the wrong thing to do. They
are three types of violations:
1. Routine
1.
Routine
2. Situational
3. Exceptional
Rule breaking as a matter of custom and practice for example workers went into
Building where hard hat require but they do not wear not because they forget (this would be laps) but deliberately
not wear hard hats.
2.
Situational
worker need to change a filter but scaffold is not available and without filter factory need to stop. Because of this
work pressure he does the job with ladder.
3.
Exceptional
Rule breaking in extreme circumstance for example a worker uses forklift truck
to lift a heavy piece of machinery that is actually heavier than the rated lifting capacity.
Identify methods which could be used to improve the health and safety culture of an
organization?
Improving health and safety culture:
The safety culture of an organization can only be improved if following things
1.
2.
Competent staff
3.
Effective Communication
4.
Broadcasting methods (Notice Board, Posters and Videos, Toolbox talks, Memos and Emails & employee handbook)
5.
6.
1.
Behaving safely
Involvement in the day to day management of health and safety e.g. attend safety meetings.
2.
Competent Staff:
A competent person is a person who has sufficient training, knowledge, experience and other abilities or skills to
be able to carry out their work safely and without risk to health.
3.
Effective Communication:
The process of delivering information from a sender to a recipient there are three principal delivery media for
communicating information: Verbal, Written and Graphic
Verbal Communication:
Communication using the spoken work e.g. face to face meeting this is easiest and most commonly used form of
communication but there are some weaknesses like language barrier may exist, strong accent, background noise,
recipient may have poor hearing, recipient may miss information or forget, no written records as proof.
Written Communication:
Communication using the written word e.g. report memo, email, notice, company handbook, policy, risk
assessment and MOMs etc. but there are some weaknesses like indirect, takes time to write, message may not read
by recipient, immediate feedback is not available, question cannot be asked.
Graphic Communication:
Communication using picture, symbols or pictograms e.g. safety signs such as fire exit signs but have some
weaknesses like, can only convey simple message, expensive to by or produce, may not be looked at, symbols or
pictogram may be unknown to the recipient, no feedback available and question cannot be asked
4.
Broadcasting Methods:
1.
Notice boards
5.
3. Toolbox talks
A positive safety culture can only be created in an organization with workers cooperation and involvement
6.
1.
2.
3.
Foreseeable emergencies and the actions to take should these events occur.
4.
New employees
2.
Job change
3.
Process change
4.
New technology
5.
New legislation
Outline the internal and external influences on health and safety management standards?
Internal and external influences:
The standards of health and safety management within an organization are influenced by both internal and
external factors
Internal Influences:
These are the various internal factors which influence the safety and health standards
1.
Management commitment
2.
Production demands
3.
Communication
4.
Competence
5.
Consultation
External influences:
These are the various external factors which influence the safety and health standards
1.
Societal expectations
2.
Legislation
3.
Insurance companies
4.
Trade unions
5.
Stakeholders
6.
General economics