There is a disconnect between employees’ understanding of the role EHS plays and how it impacts satisfaction at work, as reported by Sandy Smith of EHS Today. In a study released by Antea Group, only half (55%) of employees feel comfortable pointing out potentially unsafe behavior to both their peers and superiors; however a majority (64%) would appreciate if they were told they were doing something potentially unsafe.
Of particular concern, a large percentage (52%) likely would not feel obligated to intervene if they saw an unsafe act and a significant percentage (36% and 38%) would not appreciate or actually would be offended if they were told they were doing something potentially unsafe.
At issue of course, points out Smith, is that if employees are not comfortable talking about safety and helping their colleagues be safe in the workplace, it likely will limit the effectiveness of many company safety programs, such as an incident reporting program, injury and illness prevention program and risk assessment program – all critical to companies with 5,000 plus employees to manage.
Read more about safety issues in the workplace at EHS Today.
EHS Today is a companion site to MH&L within Penton’s Manufacturing & Supply Chain Group.
