What's Your Opinion: Who is the harder 'sell'?

Managers are often unaware how much they incent employees for production than safety efforts. Even overlooking corners that are cut to get the extra output. What gets recognized gets improved.

It is usually a lack of management commitment and policy change that makes it hard for workers to be educated about and comply with safety procedures.

Management is the harder sell, it seems due to costs involved. After locating flexible cords laying in puddles of water inside a building (the bottom of the overhead door was damaged and the seal was distorted and not sealing the water out), I was told it would likely not be fixed. When I asked why, the Manager's response was, "why fix it when it's just going to get damaged again?" I replied with, "why change the oil in the car if it's just going to get dirty again, why wash my clothes if they are just going to get dirty again, why feed my children, if they are just going to get hungry again?"

Workers can be convinced to work safer given effective, relevant and appropriate training PLUS permission to work safely without subtle fear of workplace retaliation. Management, however, needs to attend to the bottom line; and pressure on management to produce is not easily influenced towards safety precautions when it costs an initial outlay of money or worker time. Management can supervise and enforce training for many workers, and enforce safe work practices in the field. But only upper management can force managers to get better training themselves, only upper management can influence managers to make it worth their while (in bonuses, reviews, etc., that use safety as a benchmark) to see that workers work safely. The economy is hard and in some industries,there are several low wage workers just waiting for a foot in the door, to replace every worker fired, disabled or let go because of what might have been a safety related reason. These are hard times. Workers want to go home whole- they will not act against their own self interest if they can still support their family in the process.

I believe it is equally difficult to get management and field staff to buy into safety. For management, I demonstrate the monetary savings experienced when safety is practiced across the worker strata and in regards to the workers, since our field staff is primarily latino I appeal to their strong relationships with family. I am gradually modifying behaviors to develop safety as good rewarding habits they can take with them wherever they may be.

Definitely management; they only care about the cost. Though if you can get them on-board, then you can get the real workers on-board too.

I feel it's the worker. Because they are looking to complete the job and move on to the next job as soon as possible, time is money. But management can be informed of the bottom line number and compared to the lost time number, on top of compensation cost over an extended period of time. They average worker will not see all that as management does.

I have experienced Mgmt blinded by safety budget $$$ however fail to see the extreme costs of accidents as a major contributor to that bottom line even when shown the facts. Although Mgmt claims safety is top priority, risk mgmt and cost of safety priorities like equipment, sampling data, and training to perform safely are grossly lacking in the end. As a result employees feel Mgmt aren't really concerned so they go on about their business as usual, doing the best they know how. Many times failure thru accident becomes the norm.

Managements short term thinking and their fascination with bottom line.

It is Management whose commitment is lacking, unless having systematic process control parameters and control over it safety cannot be achieved. Workers has less percentage where it is difficult to change their mind set.

I'm fortunate that I now have an employer that backs me in every sense. My past employers only focused on the money and the schedule, forcing a continuous good versus evil scenario. So, now my efforts are reaching our people, whereas in the past it has been a struggle to get ownership/upper management to buy in.

Managers and Management in run for more production, tends to fall in complacency that "it will never happen to us". But unfortunately companies which though that nothing could happen become the biggest losers.

Management is the harder sell! If they come across as truly caring about the safety and well being of their employees the culture will change. This has to come from the top down. Safety and motivation are driven downward not upward. Top management has to be the ones to drive a safety minded culture. A mid level manager will have little success changing the organizational mindset if upper management does not support change.

Management looks more at safety as a cost versus revenue. As a Safety Director, I look just the opposite. To me, operating safely reduces cost because injuries go down. A single injury cost more than operating safely all year.

Employee is the hard sell! A safety conscious employee can persuade and help motivate the supervisor/employer to provide safety measures by invoking the right for a safe workplace. On the other hand, an unsafe worker can defeat or cheat in complying with safety procedures and rules .

Management by far. Like every other comment before mine. Bottom dollar. There are thing I see every days. Things that are standard procedure that I know OSHA would roll heads for but still falls on def ears.

Safety is Fundamental for each of us we have to adhere safety rules the management policy and interest shows hoew these rules are implemented.