Posted By Ian Harper
Aren't we all!

Before you go down the route of BBS you need a good safety base. I've seen it used where the base level and attitudes are poor and its been a big waste of time. Be warned.

Im in the process of carrying out the same sort of thing and you have to appeal to the managers and what makes them tick... money and their reputation. Managers hate being told that they can not manage!

The trick is showing cost benifits and good safety management is good management, dont labour the merits of complying with the law. I used to but as a business risk, your unlikely to be prosecuted and even then the fines are sometimes worth the risk.

I began by powerpoint fully animated salesman like presentations to managers that went something like this-

1 The business objectives. Always, always, ALWAYS!!! the objectives of the business and where safety fits in if it aint there in black and white. eg how it supports loss control, stops staff turn over what ever.

2 Types of management and the phrases heard in the office, "its just an accident" " 1 in a million" heard three times in a week! Show how peoples attitudes ignore or excuse away accidents.

3 Show how safety in action support the action plan and how those phrase above, that im sure you hear, need to be changed to "Thats not acceptable" "This is my problem to solve" etc

4 How this is to be carried out, procedures training etc.

Ian Waldrams paper on letting leaders lead is on this site somewhere, use some of the stuff from that. Show managers that its an everyday part of life not a bolt on. Also see laughing stock on the forum for selling safety.

Im at stage two in my plan now, bombarding people with info on prosecutions in my industry and claims and such like.

Money makes poor managers take notice, benifits make real managers take notice.