WorkSafe Tasmania

WorkSafe Tasmania

Safe and well every day

Build a positive safety culture

Safety starts at the top. As an employer, how you demonstrate your genuine commitment to safety through what you do (not just what you say) is important.

When your workers see you make safety a priority, you’re on your way to building a positive high-performing safety culture, where everyone:

  • acts and thinks safely
  • has shared safety values
  • anticipates unsafe actions and corrects them before harm is done
  • prioritises prevention.

A robust, positive safety culture improves safety performance and can improve business performance, too.

Elements of a positive safety culture

  • Professional development is supported and encouraged
  • Obstacles to good mental health are identified and removed
  • Diversity is seen as an organisation advantage
  • Staff turnover and sick/stress leave is low
  • Staff loyalty is high
  • Workers are productive members of a team.

Developing these in your workplace will take time, commitment and leadership — but they’ll have a positive impact on your workers, your bottom line, and your reputation.

Show leadership

You can demonstrate your health and safety leadership by:

  • being honest and open about health and safety issues
  • having an annual plan and a longer-term vision for safety
  • investing in health and safety: time, money and resources
  • making health and safety a topic of everyday conversation
  • setting clear expectations and encouraging accountability
  • investigating near misses.

Moving forward

Keep safety at the forefront of everyone’s mind by:

  • training and supervising your workers regularly, and monitoring their safety
  • reviewing and continually improving how you communicate and consult with your workers
  • establishing a work health and safety management system
  • introducing a workplace wellbeing program
  • entering the WorkSafe Tasmania Awards.

Share your success

We love to hear from businesses that have developed innovative solutions to health and safety problems in their workplace. Consider entering your solution in the WorkSafe Awards.

WorkSafe Tasmania resources

Request an advisor visit

Wellbeing programs

Other resources

Leading a positive safety culture (video): Safe Work Australia

Small business: Safe Work Australia

Last updated: 29 October 2019
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