Retail Observer

AUGUST 2019 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 39 • Providing valid and timely information to senior leadership about culture, employee engagement, safety progress, performance, results and support needs • Establishing and supporting employee-driven safety committees • Aligning safety with operations, human resources, and finance • Establishing budgetary allocations for safety-related expenditures, including relevant analytics to facilitate approval • Ensuring the safety/loss prevention department is adequately staffed with highly motivated and professional employees 4. DEVELOP A FORMAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM A safety management system (SMS) typically encompasses a wide range of activities for managing the safety process, such as: • Safety policies and procedures • Incident investigation protocols • Job safety analysis • Risk assessment/risk reduction efforts • Safety training and safety education • Pre-job planning • Safety audits and inspections • Behavior-based safety observations • Safety committee activities • Contractor safety management A SMS also involves the platform or framework used to manage the metrics of each of its constituent components. Variations on this theme include online and software-based solutions, as well as the use of spreadsheets and a shared drive. These platforms allow for quick evaluation of the different elements of the SMS and can facilitate effective communication and management of safety activities. A key aspect of the SMS involves how the metrics of success are measured and managed. Metrics for each element of the SMS should be well defined with levels of acceptable performance established and tracked on a regular basis (e.g., weekly, monthly, etc.). For example, if all employees working in the receiving department are expected to complete annual forklift safety training, the completion of the training by each employee should be tracked, logged and reported to make sure the goal has been met. Metrics can also be integrated into a concept known as a "balanced scorecard" where the performance of metrics is indexed and balanced to yield an aggregate measure of safety functionality. In the most effective safety management systems, many of the components are developed collaboratively by management and employees. Safety professionals are well aware that those closest to the risk know the most about it, and that developing safety activities and initiatives is best accomplished by involving employees. Ultimately, employees can offer guidance on specific actions likely to reduce risk related to their individual roles and work areas and those unlikely to be effective. Finally, when employees are involved in crafting elements of the solution, they will take ownership and ensure the safety practices are implemented and driven to success. 5. ESTABLISH ROBUST RISK IDENTIFICATION, CONTROL AND REPORTING PRACTICES A retailer's ability to identify and control risk can dramatically reduce workplace accidents and injuries. In numerous safety surveys conducted over the years, employees often express concern about the length of time it takes from when unsafe conditions are first identified and reported to when they are fixed. Retailers can motivate employees to participate actively in their safety initiative simply by responding immediately to address hazards that can be easily fixed or by establishing plans to remediate hazards requiring more time, as well as by communicating these actions and plans promptly to the affected employees. When employees see that their concerns are being addressed, they are more likely to report risks, near misses, minor injuries, unsafe conditions and other exposures, giving the company an ongoing source of data to create risk reduction strategies. These data can then be added to the Safety Management System for tracking and managing. To enhance reporting and investigation, stores must ensure that employees are comfortable reporting all injuries, no matter how minor. They must also make certain that injury investigations do not focus on assigning blame or accountability, but rather that the investigations determine the true root causes of the incident. The application of blame in the safety process invariably leads to the hiding of injuries and undermines the creation of an engaging and motivating safety culture. Bringing all these elements together requires an effective communication system. Retailers and other businesses with excellent safety cultures not only communicate the expectations for employee performance, they also communicate why the expectations exist in the first place. Understanding why policies and procedures are in place can give employees an appreciation for why adhering to them is important. It also helps facilitate greater compliance. By following these steps, retailers can build or enhance their safety cultures. At the same time, these measures can also enhance productivity, boost employee morale and help drive down costs. Chris Goulart, Senior Consultant Casualty Risk Control, Aon Risk Solutions RO

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