Are Safety and Productivity Really at Odds, or Is There a Better Way to Work?

I recently heard a supervisor say to a manager, “Do you want me to knock out this job or do you want to play the safety game?” Is that really the choice that leaders have to make in the workplace? Is safety something that gets in the way of productivity? I believe that people who think safety and productivity are two opposite sides of a coin don't really understand safety. Safety isn't simply doing a job more slowly, and it is not other things you do besides the job; safety is the way you do the job.

Safety and Quality in the Workplace

It is not just the safe way to do the job; it is the RIGHT way to do the job. Almost anything that increases the chance of an injury also increases the chance of a defective job. Failure to plan, shortcutting steps, rushing, and all the things that make a job unsafe also make it a poor-quality job. We don't design processes to produce defects or accidental injuries. When they do, our processes have failed and need to be modified. When we think about safety correctly, it almost disappears into the real issue: how to do our work right.

The Importance of Safety in the Workplace

This is a misconception prevalent among professionals. Safety is a crucial part of a systematic way of working, which enhances quality and productivity. By reducing unsafe acts and implementing safe procedures in the workplace, there is no doubt that the company can position itself on a higher growth trajectory and enhance its market credibility.

Regards

Mr. Pon explained in a simple way based on his experience (Thank you for your timely input).

Example of Safety and Production Conflict

Not only have you heard that from your supervisor, but I have also heard the same in the past. He learned after the incident, which I will describe below.

In one of our projects, we had to move the barriers (see the picture), which weigh nearly 15 tons and have eye rings (16 mm) rebar on top of them. My SSHO insisted that we conduct a test (move the barrier for just 1 minute) before proceeding. The reason was that the eye rings on that barrier appeared rusty, but my supervisor ignored this and started boasting about his extensive experience, claiming he had never failed, etc.

My SSHO simply instructed the operator to perform the test. Guess what happened? It failed in front of everyone. The job supervisor was left speechless and stepped off the site. Believe me, we ended up sending that report all the way to 'Naples,' and it took over 6 months to close the file.

Understanding Safety and Production as Teamwork

Safety and production are teamwork, but only a few (supervisors) understand this. Those who truly understand become leaders. Those who still argue for safety on-site for production never grow up and never reach the company's goals, either in production or safety, and vice versa.

We always say that if we hire someone for our project, we send an email note to everyone saying, "WELCOME OUR NEW SAFETY OFFICER" instead of manager/supervisor/welder, etc.

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Thank you for the very useful discussion. Safety involves proactive steps taken to protect you and others from harm. It is a way of working that not only increases quality but also enhances staff and customer satisfaction.

Good luck,

Regards,
Litty Varghese

Thank you for the post. Please pardon me for taking your post as an example to inform other bloggers about the right way of posting messages that have been copied, cut, and pasted. When we are not the original authors, we should cite the source. I search the web whenever I have a doubt about a message posted, using Google. In this instance, I did the same and found the article at Are Safety and Productivity Enemies? | Safety Culture Excellence®. It was posted by Terry L. Mathis, the founder and CEO of ProAct Safety.

Please also read and digest the contents at http://citehr.com#post2059497. Later today, I will give an example or two from my experience on how, in fact, caring for safety improves productivity.

Safety and Productivity: A Balanced Approach

Safety and productivity have to go side by side. Productivity, though, has dramatically increased in recent times with the rise of automation in the manufacturing process, reducing the dependency on humans in many processes. However, the involvement of humans cannot be eliminated, so human safety must be considered an integral part of all process operations.

Regards

Sometimes people create a misconception that safety and productivity counter each other. However, in reality, safety is the supporting function of productivity. Safe workers, machines, and materials are the backbone of good productivity.

When an unsafe worker meets with an accident (even if only 1%), it automatically affects other workers' productivity. This is because, as humans, we tend to go and see the colleague and invest our time to cure him or provide possible aid. If accidents increase due to the absence of safety measures, productivity will automatically decrease.

Examples from My Experience in Safety Management

In an electrical engineering firm, measurement engineers used to test devices using connections without mechanical tripping devices. If they touched a live wire while pressing a switch, they would receive a shock of 240 volts. On one occasion, an operator from the assembly line was allowed to use the equipment without being warned. She touched a live wire while pressing the switch, received a severe shock, and the incident was reported. The safety official who came to inspect issued a STOP order on further use of such equipment until all the jigs were modified to incorporate mechanical safety devices. This process took two weeks and incurred some costs.

On another occasion, some students moved a coffee table and left it in the corridor. A person got hurt while walking in the dark to switch on the light. The injured person was on medical leave for over two weeks. The safety officer advised that all the coffee tables and chairs in the sit-down area should be bolted down to prevent them from being moved and to avoid further incidents.

Regards