21 November 2005
Employees who feel their safety is important to management are more likely to act safely, Monash University research has found.
Miss Gemma Clissold (pictured), from Monash's Department of Management, questioned 1800 employees of a large company about their views on workplace safety. Half the respondents were office workers and the other half worked on-site or in a workshop environment.
Miss Clissold found employees with a good perception of safety were more likely to act safely and become involved in organisational safety activities.
"Staff perform at higher standards when they perceive their safety is of concern to management," she said.
"Traditional approaches to occupational safety, such as policies, machine guarding and the elimination of manual tasks through mechanisation, have been critical in improving injury rates, but such rates have since reached a plateau," she said.
Miss Clissold said managers could show their concern through a range of non safety-specific approaches, such as strong leadership, quality job design and, in particular, a positive safety climate.
"Effective health and safety management requires strong leadership and often organisational change.
"Such change is extremely worthwhile when compared with the direct and indirect costs of injuries to the organisation and the community."
Miss Clissold also found that people were more likely to have negative attitudes towards safety when they experienced organisational stress.
"When there's no pressure at work, you take time and act safely, but when you're stressed and rushed, you cut corners," Miss Clissold said.
"Occupational safety cannot be managed as an issue distinct from the remainder of the organisational operations, which is the traditional approach.
"Management needs to lead by example and be dedicated to occupational safety, rather than delegate the responsibility to one person -- usually the Occupational Health and Safety representative.
"Without such support, that person spends a good deal of resources 'banging their head against a brick wall' rather than making long-term positive change," she said.
To arrange interviews contact Ms Natasha Whalley, Media Communications on +61 3 9905 9201 or 0437 458 457. Photographs of Gemma Clissold are available.
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