Risk Preparedness AND SAFETY Consultants.za (PTY) LTD

‹ Back

I Don’t Care

 

There's something that is being apparent in some companies and it should raise concern, and that is some companies are disregarding the safety of their employees.

 

It is almost that they have this attitude of “I Don’t Care”.

• I don’t care if my employees are wearing PPE.
• I don’t care if my employees are safe.
• I don’t care if I don’t comply with the OHS Act.

 

Their only concern is the financial revenue that they will make at the end of the day, but what they don’t realise is the other side off there actions, the side that they don’t want to get into, and that is the financial implications of injury on duty.

 

Incidental expense this is what it can do to your company.

 

Incidental expense is all the "unsecured" additional expense associated with an accident. What is important to realise is that incidental expense is usually much greater than direct expense: Example when you look at an Iceberg on the ocean you only see the tip of the iceberg, but what you don’t see is what is under the waterline, and this is all the unexpected expenses that your company could incur.

 

Another important point is that, as opposed to the direct expense, incidental expense is unsecured, they come right out of the corporate budget. These are the expense that can drive a company into huge financial losses.

 

Below is a list of examples of incidental or unsecured expense:

 

• Lost production time.
• Productive time lost by an injured employee.
• Productive time lost by employees and supervisors helping the accident victim.
• Clean-up and start-up of operations interrupted by an accident.
• Time to hire or train a worker to replace the injured worker until they return to work.
• Property damage.
• Time and expense for repair or replacement of damaged equipment, materials, or other property.
• Expense of continuing all or part of the employee's wages, plus compensation.
• Reduced morale among your employees, and perhaps lower efficiency.
• Expense of completing paperwork generated by the accident.
• OSHA penalties.
• Civil Liability
• Legal expenses of being sued, for negligence.
• Further medical expenses

 

The unknown expense of an accident

 

You will hear or read a lot about immediate (protected) as well as incidental (unsecured) expense that is linked to workplace accidents. But there is other expense that are difficult or difficult to measure that may have a "disastrous" impact on the success of the company. We're talking about the unknown or incomprehensible expense of workplace accidents: self-esteem and reputation.

 

When a serious accident or fatality occurs in the workplace, a very basic, adverse message may be sent to employees: "management does not care." The message may be subtle, but it may be there. In many cases the employee morale suffers, and this usually negatively impacts on the quantity and quality of the work they perform. Employee staff turnover usually increases after a serious accident, and always after a fatal accident.

 

Another factor which might affect the long-term success of the company is that of reputation.

• What do employees and members of the local community think about a company that does not keep its workplace safe and healthy?
• What message about the company does the family of accident or fatality victim send to their relatives, friends, and neighbours?
• Will a company with a poor accident record maintain competitive advantage when hiring the best qualified people?
• The reputation of a company reflects its public image and must be considered as an important factor influencing its success.

 

Therefor companies need to develop a strong Safety Culture, employees not only want to go to work – they also want to do their work well. A switched-on and attentive workforce will apply the following attitudes and procedures when executing their job:

 

Attitudes:

1. Be proactive – Always be on the lookout for hazards that could harm you or someone else and take the proper steps to ensure injuries won’t happen.
2. Personal accountability – We must all assume responsibility for our own safety. If we don’t, we will have to live with the implications – or worse. The effects of a lost eye, crushed limb, or fatality will be felt far beyond the workplace.
3. Protect others – Workplace safety is about more than just you. We are dependent on our team, and one another for completing our work in a safe and constructive manner. We need to look out for each other, to protect each other, to get our jobs done safely.

 

Practices:

1. Make the right choices – Make the right choices, in the right circumstances, for the right reasons.
2. Work safe – Complete every task the right way, every time – no matter what – even when no one is watching. Do things safely so that they don’t come back to haunt you later.
3. Stay informed – Stay informed by knowing the laws and best practices for your workplace.

 

Lack of Knowledge is no excuse. You can’t ask for a do-over once the tragedy has happened.

 

Last, but certainly not least, the final fundamental belief in a strong and sustainable Safety Culture is that everyone makes it home safely at the end of each workday. The care we have for our fellow members cannot be verified at the office door if we want to achieve outstanding performance in health and safety. Our strong Safety Culture should extend out into our personal lives – with our friends and our families.

 

By personifying these positive beliefs, opinions and procedures, our behaviour will make it obvious to prospective customers, our co-workers, and everyone we meet in our day-to-day lives that we are dedicated to a high standard of health and safety.

 

Don't ever forget – everyone wants to go to work, do their job well, and get home safe. This is the conviction that a solid Safety Culture is based upon.

 

Written By

Mr. Pieter Schoeman