Mapping for Improved Perception of the Workforce

Cultural and perception surveys help to build a picture of the current situation in an organisation. In the majority of cases, these surveys indicate that considerable work has usually been done as far as health and safety management is concerned. However, in most cases the surveys also indicate that "problem" areas may exist within the organisation.

Usually, these problem areas are associated with unsafe acts and unsafe conditions that exist. In many cases, these exist without the knowledge of most of the workforce. Instead, it is often found that unsafe acts are being carried out unconsciously. What is of particular concern is where these unsafe acts are of high risk in nature.

Unsafe acts

Some examples include:

• Working on machinery without using appropriate guards
• Failing to wear personal protective equipment
• Using equipment that is not suitable for the task
• Using damaged or uncertified equipment
• Failing to warn others of danger
• Failing to follow procedures
  
  

The process of mapping

Cultural and perception surveys help to identify where these unsafe acts are being carried out, whether they be consciously or unconsciously. Once these have been identified, the next stage is to rate these unsafe acts in terms of the risk that they present.

The process of mapping also involves critically looking at failures in the health and safety management system that may have led to the unsafe acts. Usually, most unsafe acts have their origin, or part origin, in inadequacies of safety management systems.

Once the unsafe acts have been identified and any gaps in the safety management system have been identified, a program can be put in place to change the perception of the people who are involved in these acts.

Therefore, MAPPING FOR IMPROVED PERCEPTION OF THE WORKFORCE, has the following components:

• Identifying unsafe acts
• Prioritising these unsafe acts in terms of potential risk
• Identifying gaps in the safety management system where these unsafe acts may have their origin
• Putting in place a perception change program to eradicate the unsafe acts

An example of MAPPING FOR IMPROVED PERCEPTION

Suppose a cultural and perception survey reveals that a recurring problem within an organisation is associated with "failing to wear personal protective equipment". Further investigation may also show that failing to wear PPE is associated with an inefficiency in several parts of the safety management system. The following MAP may be drawn:

THE NEXT STAGE