Rank: New forum user 
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Anyone any tips on “defending” safety advice. This may sound odd but working in a scientific organisation most of safety improvements and recommendations are challenged from face fit and facial hair 🙄through to PPE and 1st aid advice. Despite qualifications it would seem my advice and recommendations are largely ignored if it doesn’t suit with little support - anyone else just getting fed up with this ? It’s burning me out and the attitude of staff to safety is diplorable.
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Rank: Forum user
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My only advice from past experience when I had this was that I left. I felt like I was just there to tick a box and safety was way down on their list of priorities.
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Rank: Forum user
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What's the attitude of senior management like? Would escalating it up the chain, with a blunt message about responsibility work? However, if they have the same attitude as their employees, I'm afraid your only option may be to polish your CV and start hunting... Edited by user 27 June 2018 06:59:43(UTC)
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Rank: Forum user
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What levels of the organisation are challenging your advice? If it's lower levels, you should have the support of the leadership team / top management.
If it's top management who challenge it and won't accept your strong points of view, then you need to ask yourself if it's the type of organisation that you're happy representing...
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 1 user thanked UncleFester for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Hello Have worked for scientific organisations all of my life and I can imagine the push back from certain individuals (‘characters’ a certain CEO called them) but I have never had the feeling that everybody is against me, which you seem to be feeling. Is the issue the fact that you are not one of “them” ie a non-scientist or are they under pressure to deliver- a lot of science based organisations are being exposed to the rigours of the open market for the first time and they don’t like it? Are management fully aware of the legal implications of what they are doing? There are number of cases involving science organisations getting it in the neck in the past few years including Public Health England, the Defence Scientific and Technical Laboratory (DSTL). Note that you need to look under Crown Censures as well as prosecutions to see this stuff. Have you cultivated a positive relationship with the unions, who are generally supportive of Health and Safety especially if it drops management in the doo-doo. They might listen to an outside professional- I brought a very experienced H&S lawyer to do a presentation of the responsibilities of senior managers and it soon sunk in. Look at https://www.ioshmagazine.com/article/serious-failings-uk-labs-exposed-scientistsinfectious-diseases and https://www.ioshmagazine.com/article/mrc-laboratory-molecular-biology for a more general overview about Health and Safety in a science facility which touches on some of the things you mention
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1 user thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
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Rank: Forum user
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Ok now i'm going to mention the word 'Behavioural' (not bird, although bird is indeed the word). The problem you have is a culture one and its one that you will never change overnight as I am sure that you are aware. Going down the consequences route is sometimes effective, identifying to staff and managers the negative consequences of not following your advice, not wearing PPE etc as well as the positive reasons too. People will always tend to listen to the positive more. You can try the ask approach; "Why don't you want to wear the PPE", "why don't you want to report an accident" as well as "how could we make it easier for you", "is there better PPE you would like" Most people just want to be listened to and yes there will always be those that are just anti-safety. Its not an easy thing to change culture. Good luck
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Rank: Super forum user 
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"Defending advice" comes across as confrontational which is likely to provoke a negative response.
You exampled facial hair & face fit - search the forum posts - are you a "make the employee fit the dictated RPE" or "consult with employees to derive legal workable solutions" type of advisor? What you currently perceive as challenges to your advice could simply be people seeking understanding of why and particpation in how. Personally I spend more time talking with colleagues not sitting behind a desk issuing edicts.
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Rank: Super forum user
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"Defending advice" comes across as confrontational which is likely to provoke a negative response.
You exampled facial hair & face fit - search the forum posts - are you a "make the employee fit the dictated RPE" or "consult with employees to derive legal workable solutions" type of advisor? What you currently perceive as challenges to your advice could simply be people seeking understanding of why and particpation in how. Personally I spend more time talking with colleagues not sitting behind a desk issuing edicts.
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Rank: New forum user
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Thanks for this - consultation seems key but some are entrenched in their out of date thinking and this permeated the organisation. I come from a scientific background (although I would see this as a positive )and the private sector and to some extent that may be part of the problem. Despite carrot or stick the same response is met.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Are they a public sector organisation or a university? In those places the unions tend to be very keen on H&S if not necessarily for the right reasons. In the case of face fit testing have you made it clear that if they want to rely on negative pressure face mask they must be face fit tested and that you cannot face fit test if someone has a beard. Have you also told them of the alternatives such as positive pressure masks and hoods? If they are working in lab RPE should not be the first option anyway, look at LEV instead. Explain the costs involved. Decent LEV once installed and running is much more cost effective that messing around the RPE- face fit testing, identifying the best mask for each user getting them to wear it and replacing it regularly. Same applies to positive pressure hoods. Is there a deeper reason for the push back?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Maybe worth asking a few of these 'characters' why they are ignoring your advice and listening to what they say. You will likely hear some rubbish but in amongst it there may be some good information that you can make good use of.
Regards.
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