Safety Posters would certainly create some awareness and there will be some present reduction in accident rate during that period. However it is temporary for some period. Even when the posters are there and Plant Managers and Supervisors think only the quantity / quality only and not concerned with the safety of the worker / machine the entire money spent is waste. Basically the behavior pattern of all employees from top to bottom should change.
Besides posters and other threat / punitive methods the worker is concerned of his wage. At the beginning and at the end of the shift every body is concerned / talk about the numbers, the worker always tend to do “At Risk” behaviors during the shift, and in that process meets with an accident. If suppose the plant manager is not concerned about a machine guard, certainly the supervisors also will not bother about, and the worker is confused and worried / attracted on the incentive in vogue, and would look at the number at the end of the shift by some how?, In that process he would be forced to work in an atmosphere of “At Risk”
I am giving an example of my experience. In one unit a maintenance / safety procedure was well defined based on the corporate / unit at US. The policy was to take a “line clear” before maintenance / tool change. The operator has to fill up a form and has to take a signature of the maintenance in charge, from the Safety Manager and finally from Plant Manager. The implementation part of it as far the operator is concerned not to record any thing and to keep silent, rather searching for above all Managers who would be busy in the shift beginning”. No line clear record. Though the procedure is very good which is followed internationally, it had it implication in implementation basically on the work culture followed. I strongly believe that any negative behavior of workmen in side the shop floor ( except few instances where personal factor is involved) are basically due to failure / improper system and procedures of the management.
An Electrical worker approach the stores / superior for a change of face shield / goggles, and if the reply is ‘no stock / issued one week before / or straight away a reply “go and work, this is enough’ the worker can not be blamed for working on a grinder without a face shield / goggles, I would rather say the system and procedure is wrong, and the Management is responsible for the worker doing a job “At Risk”
Basically behavior level approach is the best method for safe behavior at work.
Babu Alexander
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