ONE OF THE keys to instituting a good safety program is to get management buy-in.

You need their support and belief in the system if you are to convince your employees to embrace your safety regimen.

If your managers don’t believe in the safety plans you have put together, it will show through when they try to sell them to your staff.

If you don’t have buy-in from your managers, the chances are slim to none that your employees will embrace the changes you are proposing. 

If you are serious about preventing injuries and want to keep your workers’ comp X-Mod low, the role of your management team is crucial.

You will often encounter a few different personality types among your managers  and they need to be convinced of the importance of workplace safety in different ways.

You’ll need a different approach with each personality type to get them to embrace the concept.

Once they do, they can effectively convey the urgency and importance of workplace safety to the rank and file.

Constructor Magazine has these recommendations for getting management buy-in:

Select the Right Leaders

Choose managers who are firm, yet fair with a passion for the safety of the workforce. They should have a track record of success so that they can be an inspiration to their teams. Also, they should not be afraid to get their hands dirty to make a point or demonstrate how something is done.

Address Every Aspect of Your Operation with Management

Take a holistic approach Every facet of your operation needs to be addressed if you want a comprehensive risk management culture to exist.

Extend discussions about risk management beyond the worksite to help managers see the bigger picture of why safety matters.

Assessing risks associated with every task, purchase order, estimate or piece of equipment used will reinforce the notion that risk management is a company-wide function.

Make Periodic Site Visits

Leadership should visit departments to watch workflows and reinforce the importance of safety to the workers. Make the visits with the manager who has been put in charge of safety for that department.

Leadership’s role should be to start conversations with workers about safety challenges and asking for ideas for improving safety.

Use these visits to celebrate successes and challenge the team to always look for issues that could lead to injuries. 

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