📖 Introduction
Health and safety culture refers to the shared attitudes, values, and behaviours that determine how seriously an organisation
takes safety. A positive safety culture reduces accidents, increases compliance, and strengthens overall productivity.
Building this culture requires leadership commitment, worker involvement, and effective communication.
🎯 Learning Outcomes
- Define what health and safety culture means.
- Identify factors influencing safety culture.
- Explain benefits of a strong safety culture.
- Discuss ways to improve safety culture.
🌍 Factors Influencing Safety Culture
- Leadership Commitment: Visible management support for safety.
- Worker Involvement: Employees actively participate in decision-making.
- Training and Competence: Adequate knowledge and skills for safe work.
- Communication: Open channels for reporting hazards and sharing safety information.
- Trust and Fairness: No-blame culture that encourages reporting mistakes.
💡 Benefits of a Positive Safety Culture
- Fewer accidents and injuries.
- Better legal compliance.
- Improved employee morale and retention.
- Lower insurance and compensation costs.
📈 Improving Safety Culture
- Leadership setting clear safety expectations.
- Rewarding safe behaviours.
- Continuous training and refresher sessions.
- Encouraging feedback from all levels of staff.
🔑 Summary
- Safety culture reflects how safety is valued in an organisation.
- Leadership, training, communication, and trust all influence culture.
- Positive culture results in improved safety and performance.
🚀 What’s Next in IG1
Lecture 15: Human Factors in Health and Safety
We will study how human behaviour, errors, and ergonomics affect workplace safety.