Safety - Competency
Definition: Safety is the integrated practice of leading, developing, and sustaining systems that protect people by aligning roles, processes, and policies with zero‑injury goals while continuously strengthening programs through thoughtful planning and improvement. It requires actively assessing work practices and environments, conducting inspections and audits, and using data, documentation, and communication to identify risks, ensure compliance, and drive corrective action. Safety also depends on building capability--evaluating training needs, providing instruction, modeling participation, and ensuring employees have the knowledge, equipment, and resources to work safely across all conditions, including hazardous materials and emergency scenarios. Ultimately, Safety is a collaborative, organization‑wide commitment to preventing incidents, investigating causes, mitigating hazards, and preparing for recovery so that every employee can work in a safe, healthy, and resilient environment.
360-Feedback Surveys Measuring Safety:
Survey 1 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 2 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 3 (5-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 4 (5-point scale; radio buttons)
Survey 5 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 6 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 7 (5-point scale; competency comments; N/A)
Survey 8 (3-point scale; Agree/Disagree words; N/A)
Survey 9 (3-point scale; Strength/Development; N/A)
Survey 10 (Comment boxes only)
Survey 11 (Single rating per competency)
Survey 12 (Slide-bar scale)
Survey 13 (4-point scale; numbers; floating anchors)
Survey 14 (4-point scale; N/A)
Self-Comments: Do you have to complete a self-assessment or performance appraisal? If so, the
self-comments here may help.
What is Safety?
Safety is the integrated system through which an organization leads, develops, and sustains a workplace committed to preventing harm and achieving zero-injury outcomes. It begins with strong leadership and management that align people, processes, and practices around safety goals, assign safety roles, and create the structures needed for accountability. Development strengthens this foundation by creating and implementing zero-incident policies, designing new safety initiatives, and building a culture that continually evolves. Through ongoing review, analysis, and inspections--supported by formal auditing--organizations assess employee practices, evaluate job-specific risks, conduct follow-up inspections, and benchmark performance to ensure programs remain effective and compliant with standards and regulations.
Safety also depends on consistent implementation and widespread awareness. Implementation brings safety to life through evidence-based practices, proper equipment, and the integration of safety considerations into everyday work, while awareness ensures employees and leaders understand guidelines, standards, and expectations. Documentation and communication reinforce this system by capturing accurate records of incidents, compliance, and safety discussions, and by clearly sharing hazard-mitigation strategies, investigation outcomes, and safety standards across the organization. Training plays a central role: assessing training needs, designing and delivering technical safety instruction, and ensuring employees actively participate and apply what they learn. Compliance ensures that all policies, practices, and regulatory requirements are followed, while collaboration--both internal and external--strengthens safety programs through shared expertise, coordinated problem-solving, and alignment with auditors, inspectors, and technical teams.
Finally, Safety is sustained through proactive cultural reinforcement and continuous improvement. Promoting safety keeps zero-injury goals visible and valued, while accident investigations uncover root causes and inform corrective actions. Improving safety requires timely issue resolution, the adoption of proven methods, and the use of data to reduce future risks. Protecting employees also means ensuring proper use and maintenance of personal protective equipment, maintaining a safe and ergonomic work environment, managing hazardous materials responsibly, and mitigating hazards through assessments, coaching, and updated controls. Disaster recovery extends this commitment by preparing for major disruptions, assessing critical operations, coordinating with stakeholders, and ensuring the organization can respond to and recover from emergencies while maintaining safety and continuity. Core Components of Creativity
- Leadership/Management: executing, sustaining, and operationalizing the organization's safety expectations. It's about putting structures in place, allocating resources, reinforcing policies, and ensuring people follow through. These behaviors emphasize oversight, coordination, and accountability--conducting safety meetings, assigning safety roles, supporting existing programs, and fostering a culture where safety is consistently practiced.
- Development: designing new programs, establishing guidelines, defining roles, and building a sustainable safety culture from the ground up. These behaviors emphasize innovation, policy creation, employee involvement, and long-term improvement--developing safety programs, crafting zero-incident policies, and incorporating employee feedback into new initiatives.
- Safety Review/Analysis/Inspections: examining the work environment, practices, and tasks themselves to identify hazards, evaluate risks, and determine what improvements are needed. It is hands-on, observational, and operational. This domain is about looking closely at jobs, behaviors, equipment, and conditions--conducting job safety analyses, performing inspections, assessing employee practices, and identifying safety needs in real time.
- Auditing: evaluating the safety system itself--its programs, processes, compliance, and performance over time. It is more formal, structured, and data-driven. Auditing looks at whether the organization is meeting regulatory requirements, following internal policies, and performing at or above industry benchmarks. It involves reviewing incident data, analyzing trends, comparing performance across departments, and determining which issues require urgent attention.
- Implementation: putting safety into action through the behaviors of someone who actively applies, integrates, and operationalizes safety practices in the workplace. This includes adopting best-practice methods, embedding safety into policies and procedures, providing equipment and materials, and carrying out concrete steps that directly improve safety performance.
- Awareness: understanding, recognizing, and communicating safety expectations reflecting a manager's knowledge of OSHA and company guidelines, their ability to promote safety standards, and their role in helping others understand what safe practices look like. Awareness is more cognitive and communication-oriented--knowing the rules, recognizing their importance, and raising visibility across the organization.
- Documentation: capturing, organizing, and maintaining accurate records that reflect what has happened, what is happening, and how safety performance is trending. It is about creating a reliable factual foundation for decision-making. Documentation behaviors include recording incidents, summarizing safety-meeting discussions, tracking losses, documenting compliance, and measuring performance over time.
- Communication: sharing information so that employees, leaders, and stakeholders understand safety expectations, progress, risks, and outcomes. It is about translating information into messages that influence behavior, build awareness, and support organizational learning. Communication behaviors include explaining safety standards, delivering briefings, informing management of progress, sharing investigation results, and preparing reports for distribution.
- Training Assessment: the diagnostic, analytical, and planning side of safety training. It's about understanding what employees need to learn, why they need it, and how training should be structured to close knowledge or skill gaps. This includes identifying high-risk areas, reviewing incident trends, evaluating whether past training worked, tailoring content to different roles, and setting training goals for the organization.
- Provides Training: the delivery, instruction, and execution of safety training. It's about actually teaching employees--designing programs, conducting sessions, demonstrating technical skills, onboarding new staff, and ensuring people know how to perform tasks safely. This domain emphasizes communication, coaching, hands-on instruction, and ensuring employees can apply what they've learned.
- Participates in Training: a manager's engagement with learning--their willingness to attend training, model enthusiasm, stay current on new offerings, and encourage others to participate. It reflects behaviors that show commitment to continuous improvement and a learning-oriented safety culture. This domain is about being an active learner and role model: showing up, engaging fully, applying what is learned, and ensuring employees take part in the training process.
- Compliance: a manager's responsibility to enforce rules, standards, and regulatory requirements. It reflects oversight, accountability, and adherence to external and internal mandates--ensuring employees are certified, ensuring supervisors understand compliance expectations, correcting safety issues, and making sure policies and regulations are followed. Compliance is about ensuring the organization meets legal, regulatory, and policy obligations.
Why is Safety important?
Safety, defined as a comprehensive system of leadership, development, analysis, auditing, implementation, communication, training, compliance, collaboration, and continuous improvement, is essential because it protects the most valuable asset any organization has--its people. When companies invest in strong safety practices, they reduce injuries, prevent costly incidents, and maintain stable operations, which directly supports productivity, quality, and organizational resilience. A robust safety system also strengthens trust: employees feel supported, leaders demonstrate accountability, and stakeholders gain confidence that the organization manages risk responsibly. Ultimately, prioritizing safety enables companies to operate ethically, sustainably, and competitively, creating a workplace where people can perform at their best and the organization can thrive over the long term. How can I improve Safety?
- Model consistent safety leadership by aligning people, processes, and expectations with zero-injury goals and demonstrating visible commitment to safe practices.
- Strengthen hazard awareness through regular walkthroughs, inspections, and conversations that help employees recognize risks and understand how to prevent them.
- Use data and audits to drive improvement by reviewing incident trends, near-misses, and compliance gaps, then adjusting programs and controls accordingly.
- Invest in high-quality training by assessing skill gaps, tailoring instruction to job risks, and ensuring employees receive hands-on, practical safety education.
- Promote open communication and reporting so employees feel safe raising concerns, sharing observations, and participating in problem-solving without fear of blame.
- Ensure proper equipment and environment by maintaining PPE, tools, and workspaces, and addressing environmental hazards such as clutter, poor ergonomics, or inadequate ventilation.
- Collaborate across teams and departments (including facilities, HR, engineering, and external auditors) to strengthen safety systems and ensure alignment with regulations and best practices.
- Reinforce a culture of continuous improvement by recognizing safe behaviors, encouraging employee involvement, and integrating lessons learned from incidents into future policies and training.
What are the benefits of good Safety practices?
- Reduces injuries and incidents: Fewer accidents mean employees can work confidently and consistently without disruptions. This stability strengthens overall productivity and minimizes costly downtime.
- Improves employee morale and trust: When people see that their well-being is prioritized, they feel valued and supported. That sense of security strengthens engagement and commitment to the organization.
- Enhances operational efficiency: Safe environments reduce errors, equipment damage, and workflow interruptions. As a result, teams can focus on high-quality work rather than reacting to preventable problems.
- Strengthens organizational reputation: Companies known for strong safety practices earn credibility with customers, partners, and regulators. This reputation can open doors to new opportunities and reduce scrutiny or penalties.
- Supports long-term organizational resilience: Effective safety systems help organizations anticipate risks and adapt before issues escalate. This proactive approach protects both people and operations, ensuring continuity and long-term success.
What questions could be included on a 360-degree survey that measure safety practices?
The questionnaire items below will measure safety. These questions are grouped into different facets of safety. When creating a 360-degree or other performance assessment, try to select one or two items from each group. Questions to include on your survey.
Leadership/ManagementLeadership/Management in the Safety dimension focuses on executing, sustaining, and operationalizing the organization's safety expectations. It's about putting structures in place, allocating resources, reinforcing policies, and ensuring people follow through. These behaviors emphasize oversight, coordination, and accountability--conducting safety meetings, assigning safety roles, supporting existing programs, and fostering a culture where safety is consistently practiced. Leadership/Management is about running the safety system that already exists, making sure it functions day-to-day, and ensuring people, processes, and practices stay aligned with zero-injury goals.
- Supports safety programs and procedures.
- Supports our company's safety programs.
- Commits adequate resources toward safety measures.
- Committed to safety in the workplace.
- Assigns safety officers for the team.
- Serves on safety and health committees.
- Establishes policies and procedures for the safety, health, and environmental program.
- Fosters an organizational culture that promotes health and safety.
- Requires all supervisors to support the company safety initiatives.
- Conducts regular safety and health meetings.
- Conducts daily/weekly/monthly safety meetings with employees.
- Assigns team members to the safety leadership role.
- Aligns people, processes, and practices to advance zero-injury goals.
DevelopmentDevelopment is about creating, shaping, and improving the safety system itself. It focuses on designing new programs, establishing guidelines, defining roles, and building a sustainable safety culture from the ground up. These behaviors emphasize innovation, policy creation, employee involvement, and long-term improvement--developing safety programs, crafting zero-incident policies, and incorporating employee feedback into new initiatives. Development is about building the future state of safety, ensuring the organization evolves, adapts, and continuously strengthens its safety culture and infrastructure.
- Develops safety guidelines for the department.
- Develops a sustainable safety culture.
- Develops a culture of safety.
- Develops a strong safety culture.
- Gives employees a say in the creation and implementation of safety policies and procedures.
- Develops safety guidelines for the workplace.
- Creates and implements a zero-incident policy.
- Defines the role of safety officers.
- Creates new safety initiatives.
- Develops a safety program for the department.
- Creates and implements a zero-injury policy.
- Listens to employees and receives their feedback regarding safety issues and concerns.
- Develops a safety program for workers.
- Develops a safety program for the company.
Safety Review/Analysis/InspectionsSafety Review/Analysis/Inspections focuses on examining the work environment, practices, and tasks themselves to identify hazards, evaluate risks, and determine what improvements are needed. It is hands-on, observational, and operational. This domain is about looking closely at jobs, behaviors, equipment, and conditions--conducting job safety analyses, performing inspections, assessing employee practices, and identifying safety needs in real time. It emphasizes understanding how work is actually performed, spotting gaps, and recommending immediate or near-term improvements. Review/Analysis/Inspections is about evaluating the safety of day-to-day operations and identifying risks within the work environment.
- Creates accurate and effective measures of safety.
- Identifies and addresses safety needs.
- Conducts regular worksite assessments to determine safety needs.
- Conducts follow up safety inspections after critical incidents.
- Investigates the safety and health measures needed to advance and support the strategic plans of the department.
- Conducts safety, health, and environmental inspections to ensure compliance with operating standards.
- Assesses current employee practices to determine where safety improvements are needed.
- Identifies safety problems.
- Evaluates risk and prioritizes needs.
- Conducts a job safety analysis of positions in the department.
- Performs a safety analysis of jobs in the department.
AuditingAuditing focuses on evaluating the safety system itself--its programs, processes, compliance, and performance over time. It is more formal, structured, and data-driven. Auditing looks at whether the organization is meeting regulatory requirements, following internal policies, and performing at or above industry benchmarks. It involves reviewing incident data, analyzing trends, comparing performance across departments, and determining which issues require urgent attention. Rather than examining individual tasks or workspaces, Auditing evaluates the effectiveness, consistency, and compliance of the entire safety program, often using analytics, documentation reviews, and performance metrics.
- Reviews incident and near-miss data to identify environmental factors contributing to risk.
- Monitors safety performance of departments.
- Benchmarks the organization's safety performance against peer companies in the industry.
- Conducts a formal audit of the safety program.
- Conducts audits to ensure compliance with safety standards and regulations.
- Determines which safety issues require immediate attention.
- Uses data and analytics tools to keep track of trends.
- Monitors for safety incidents and accidents.
ImplementationImplementation in the Safety dimension is about putting safety into action through the behaviors of someone who actively applies, integrates, and operationalizes safety practices in the workplace. This includes adopting best-practice methods, embedding safety into policies and procedures, providing equipment and materials, and carrying out concrete steps that directly improve safety performance. Implementation is hands-on and execution-focused--turning safety standards into real behaviors, tools, processes, and systems that employees use every day.
- Implements incentive plans to improve safety in the workplace.
- Provides employees with proper safety equipment and supplies.
- Integrates safety considerations into the design and development of policies, procedures, and equipment.
- Integrates recognized best practices into the design and operation of safety programs.
- Implements safety recommendations from employees.
- Implements evidence-based safety practices to improve program effectiveness.
- Provides employees with handouts and booklets regarding proper safety practices.
- Actively practices safety in the workplace.
- Applies industry best practices to strengthen the organization's safety programs.
AwarenessAwareness is about understanding, recognizing, and communicating safety expectations reflecting a manager's knowledge of OSHA and company guidelines, their ability to promote safety standards, and their role in helping others understand what safe practices look like. Awareness is more cognitive and communication-oriented--knowing the rules, recognizing their importance, and raising visibility across the organization. While Implementation is about doing, Awareness is about knowing and helping others know, ensuring that safety expectations are understood before they are put into practice.
- Is aware of OSHA safety guidelines.
- Is familiar with OSHA safety regulations and policies.
- Is aware of all company safety guidelines.
- Raises organizational awareness of required safety standards.
- Champions safety standards and fosters a culture of awareness and compliance.
- Promotes understanding of safety standards across the organization.
- Is aware of important safety guidelines and procedures.
DocumentationDocumentation in the Safety dimension focuses on capturing, organizing, and maintaining accurate records that reflect what has happened, what is happening, and how safety performance is trending. It is about creating a reliable factual foundation for decision-making. Documentation behaviors include recording incidents, summarizing safety-meeting discussions, tracking losses, documenting compliance, and measuring performance over time. The emphasis is on accuracy, completeness, and consistency--building the official record of safety activities, outcomes, and trends. Documentation is about creating the evidence that supports analysis, accountability, and improvement.
- Keeps accurate safety records.
- Creates detailed summaries of issues discussed in safety meetings.
- Monitors, documents, and analyzes losses resulting from workplace accidents to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
- Documents compliance with safety standards and regulations.
- Keeps track of losses due to accidents.
- Maintains accurate records regarding safety incidents and accidents.
- Measures safety performance over time.
- Tracks and evaluates the financial, operational, and safety impacts of accidents to inform prevention strategies.
- Diligently records safety incidents.
CommunicationCommunication focuses on sharing information so that employees, leaders, and stakeholders understand safety expectations, progress, risks, and outcomes. It is about translating information into messages that influence behavior, build awareness, and support organizational learning. Communication behaviors include explaining safety standards, delivering briefings, informing management of progress, sharing investigation results, and preparing reports for distribution. The emphasis is on clarity, timeliness, and audience-appropriate messaging. Communication is about using information to guide people, reinforce safety culture, and ensure everyone knows what they need to know to work safely.
- Makes public statements as needed regarding safety incidents.
- Communicates safety standards clearly and consistently to employees.
- Prepares formal safety reports for distribution.
- Includes regular safety briefings during meetings.
- Informs management of progress regarding the implementation of safety programs.
- Communicates hazard-mitigation strategies clearly and consistently.
- Communicates the importance of safety training as part of overall organizational performance.
- Informs employees of progress toward safety goals.
- Communicates the safety program's policies and procedures to employees.
- Communicates investigation outcomes to relevant stakeholders to support organizational learning.
- Informs senior management of the status and efficacy of safety programs.
- Provides safety guidelines for employees.
Training AssessmentTraining Assessment focuses on the diagnostic, analytical, and planning side of safety training. It's about understanding what employees need to learn, why they need it, and how training should be structured to close knowledge or skill gaps. This includes identifying high-risk areas, reviewing incident trends, evaluating whether past training worked, tailoring content to different roles, and setting training goals for the organization. In essence, Training Assessment is about figuring out the right training, ensuring it aligns with risks, and continuously improving it based on data, feedback, and performance outcomes.
- Evaluates the effectiveness of safety training through observation, feedback, and performance data.
- Identifies gaps in employee safety knowledge and adjusts training plans accordingly.
- Integrates lessons learned from incidents into future training plans.
- Prepares effective safety training materials.
- Tailors training approaches to the needs of different roles, experience levels, or work environments.
- Collaborates with supervisors to determine specific training needs for high-risk tasks.
- Assesses training needs before suggesting safety training.
- Monitors training participation and completion rates to ensure coverage of critical safety topics.
- Reviews incident trends and uses findings to refine training priorities.
- Sets training goals for the department/organization.
- Promotes a learning culture by encouraging employees to seek out safety training opportunities.
Provides TrainingProvides Training focuses on the delivery, instruction, and execution of safety training. It's about actually teaching employees--designing programs, conducting sessions, demonstrating technical skills, onboarding new staff, and ensuring people know how to perform tasks safely. This domain emphasizes communication, coaching, hands-on instruction, and ensuring employees can apply what they've learned. In short, Provides Training is about delivering the training effectively, building capability, and ensuring employees gain the practical skills needed to work safely.
- Provides effective safety and health training to new employees.
- Gathers necessary training materials to administer comprehensive safety orientation/training.
- Delivers technical safety training to employees.
- Provides technical skills training for safety.
- Designs and delivers effective health and safety training programs.
- Builds workforce capability by developing employees' technical safety skills.
- Ensures employees are properly trained.
- Ensures all employees receive adequate training on safety procedures.
- Provides training on how to properly use personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Provides instruction on essential safety skills and procedures.
- Provides expert instruction on technical safety practices and equipment use.
- Guides staff in developing the technical skills needed to perform tasks safely and efficiently.
Participates in TrainingParticipates in Training focuses on a manager's engagement with learning--their willingness to attend training, model enthusiasm, stay current on new offerings, and encourage others to participate. It reflects behaviors that show commitment to continuous improvement and a learning-oriented safety culture. This domain is about being an active learner and role model: showing up, engaging fully, applying what is learned, and ensuring employees take part in the training process. Participates in Training is about actively taking part in safety education and promoting a culture that values learning.
- Encourages others to attend safety training.
- Completes required safety training programs.
- Participates in safety training when offered.
- Actively participates in safety training.
- Stays current on new safety training offerings and regularly participates in training.
- Models a positive attitude toward safety training, encouraging others through example.
- Reinforces expectations that safety training is essential to job performance.
- Ensures employees participate in the safety training process.
- Demonstrates full engagement during safety training sessions and applies learning on the job.
ComplianceCompliance focuses on a manager's responsibility to enforce rules, standards, and regulatory requirements. It reflects oversight, accountability, and adherence to external and internal mandates--ensuring employees are certified, ensuring supervisors understand compliance expectations, correcting safety issues, and making sure policies and regulations are followed. Compliance is about ensuring the organization meets legal, regulatory, and policy obligations. It emphasizes enforcement, verification, and corrective action rather than participation or modeling.
- Ensures compliance with safety regulations.
- Ensures that all supervisors are aware of regulatory and compliance measures.
- Ensures compliance with safety policies.
- Ensures compliance with safety practices.
- Ensures employees successfully complete required training and certifications.
- Executes a plan of action to correct safety issues.
- Ensures employees are certified according to Federal regulations/standards.
CollaborationCollaboration in the Safety dimension is about working with others to strengthen safety systems, solve problems, and ensuring compliance by emphasizing partnership, coordination, and shared responsibility. This includes working with external auditors, insurers, regulatory inspectors, HR, facilities, engineering teams, supervisors, and employees to evaluate safety practices, address concerns, and improve programs. Collaboration is outward-facing and relationship-driven: it relies on communication, cooperation, and leveraging the expertise of multiple stakeholders. Collaboration is about building connections and working jointly with others to enhance safety performance across the organization.
- Collaborates with safety committees or supervisors to improve PPE compliance.
- Collaborates with facilities, maintenance, or engineering teams to address environmental safety concerns.
- Consults with Human Resources regarding employees on Workers Compensation.
- Collaborates with external auditors, regulatory inspectors, and insurance representatives to review safety practices, verify compliance, and reduce organizational risks.
- Works with insurers to routinely conduct loss-control inspections, risk assessments, or site visits to evaluate safety performance and recommend improvements.
- Coordinates with external auditors and insurance risk consultants to assess organizational safety practices and ensure compliance.
- Collaborates with external auditors and insurance loss-control specialists to evaluate and improve safety practices and procedures.
- Works with external auditors and insurance representatives to review safety practices and procedures.
- Includes employees in multiple aspects of the safety program.
Promoting SafetyPromoting Safety is about influencing people and shaping the culture so that safety becomes a shared value focusing on communication, encouragement, visibility, and motivation--reminding employees to work safely, pointing out unsafe behaviors, celebrating safety successes, and championing zero-injury goals. These behaviors are outward-facing and culture-building: they raise awareness, reinforce expectations, and inspire others to prioritize safety. In short, Promoting Safety is about advocating for safety, keeping it top-of-mind, and creating an environment where employees feel encouraged and supported to act safely.
- Encourages others to work safely.
- Points out behaviors in others that may be unsafe.
- Encourages employees to implement corrective safety measures.
- Champions a zero-injury culture through consistent communication and action.
- Recognizes departments with the fewest safety incidents.
- Integrates safety-focused strategies that contribute to a zero-injury work environment.
- Promotes practices that support a zero-injury workplace.
- Consistently emphasizes the importance of safety.
- Strives to create a culture that encourages employee participation in safety measures.
- Advances initiatives aimed at achieving a zero-injury work environment.
- Promotes a culture where safety training is valued and prioritized.
- Publishes information regarding safety initiatives.
Accident InvestigationsAccident Investigations is about analyzing specific incidents to understand what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it from happening again. It focuses on evidence collection, interviewing witnesses, identifying root causes, distinguishing between human error and system failures, and recommending corrective actions. This domain is investigative, analytical, and detail-oriented. It requires objectivity, structured methods, and a no-blame approach that encourages honest reporting. Accident Investigations is about digging into incidents to uncover causes and drive corrective action, rather than partnering broadly to improve safety systems.
- Investigates mishaps for human errors of omission or commission.
- Recommends corrective actions based on investigation findings to prevent recurrence.
- Conducts accident investigations as needed.
- Determines when and where safety incidents occur.
- Encourages reporting of near-misses and minor incidents to identify risks early.
- Assesses the role of training, supervision, and workload in incident causation.
- Reviews equipment, procedures, and environmental conditions that may have contributed to the incident.
- Collects and preserves evidence from incident scenes to support accurate analysis.
- Investigates the root causes of safety incidents.
- Promotes a no-blame approach that encourages honest reporting and thorough investigation.
- Conducts critical incident reviews as needed.
- Distinguishes between immediate causes, contributing factors, and underlying system failures.
- Interviews employees and witnesses involved in an accident to understand the sequence of events.
Improving SafetyImproving Safety is about taking concrete actions that directly reduce risk and prevent incidents by focusing on identifying hazards, questioning unsafe conditions, applying best-practice methods, resolving issues quickly, analyzing near misses, and using data to drive better outcomes. These behaviors are hands-on, corrective, and performance-oriented: they change processes, fix problems, and strengthen systems. Improving Safety is about making safety measurably better through action, problem-solving, and continuous improvement--not just encouraging safe behavior, but actively reducing the likelihood of harm.
- Performs work safely.
- Seeks to reduce the likelihood of accidents.
- Is not afraid to question a potential safety issue observed in the workplace.
- Uses loss data from workplace accidents to drive evidence-based safety improvements and reduce future risk.
- Drives the adoption of best-practice safety strategies to enhance organizational safety performance.
- Provides feedback to training developers to enhance the relevance of safety programs.
- Reduces accidents through safety management.
- Addresses safety issues in a timely manner.
- Encourages employees to report hazards and participates in resolving them quickly.
- Identifies "near miss" incidents.
- Consistently incorporates proven safety methods and standards into daily operations and program planning.
Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment (PPE) focuses on one specific category of hazard control: ensuring employees have, understand, and properly use the protective gear required to keep them safe. This domain is narrow and equipment-focused. It includes providing PPE, ensuring proper fit, training employees on correct use, inspecting and maintaining PPE, and verifying consistent compliance. The emphasis is on the last line of defense--protecting employees when hazards cannot be fully eliminated. PPE is about managing the tools and behaviors that protect workers from exposure, making sure the right equipment is available, used correctly, and kept in good condition.
- Ensures damaged or worn PPE is replaced immediately to maintain protection.
- Ensures employees have access to personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Observes work practices to ensure PPE is used correctly and at the appropriate times.
- Ensures personal protective equipment (PPE) is available for all employees.
- Verifies that employees consistently wear required PPE during all applicable tasks.
- Trains employees on how to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Implements processes to ensure PPE is inspected, maintained, and stored properly.
- Addresses improper or inconsistent PPE use promptly and constructively.
- Ensures that personal protective equipment (PPE) is properly fitted for the individuals.
- Evaluates whether PPE requirements remain appropriate as tasks, equipment, or hazards change.
Work EnvironmentWork Environment focuses on the overall physical conditions in which employees perform their jobs. It emphasizes identifying and correcting general workplace hazards--such as clutter, poor ergonomics, blocked exits, inadequate lighting, or unsafe workstation setups. This domain is broad and environmental: it covers walkthroughs, hazard recognition, maintaining clean and orderly spaces, ensuring safe access and egress, and monitoring conditions like noise, temperature, and ventilation. Work Environment is about creating and maintaining a safe, healthy, and hazard-free physical workspace for all employees, regardless of the specific materials or equipment they use.
- Identifies predictable hazards in the workplace.
- Mitigates hazards and safety issues that arise at work.
- Ensures equipment, tools, and workstations are arranged to minimize risk and support safe operations.
- Ensures others are able to work safely.
- Monitors the workplace to ensure corrective actions remain in place and effective.
- Recognizes workplace hazards.
- Verifies that safety signage, labels, and warnings are visible and up to date.
- Ensures employees have a clean work environment.
- Creates a safe ergonomic work environment.
- Monitors environmental conditions (lighting, noise, temperature, ventilation) to ensure they support safe work.
- Ensures emergency exits, pathways, and safety equipment remain accessible at all times.
- Conducts regular walkthroughs to assess the safety of the work environment.
- Identifies and removes obstacles or clutter that could create unsafe conditions.
- Responds promptly to reports of unsafe conditions and takes corrective action.
Hazardous MaterialsHazardous Materials focuses on the specialized risks, equipment, and procedures associated with handling, storing, and maintaining materials that pose chemical, biological, or physical dangers. This domain is narrower and more technical: it includes maintaining materials-handling equipment, ensuring employees are trained to handle hazardous substances, keeping Material Safety Data Sheets current, and monitoring equipment used to move or store hazardous materials. It emphasizes regulatory compliance, equipment reliability, and safe handling practices. Hazardous Materials is about managing the unique risks associated with dangerous substances and the equipment used to handle them, ensuring both safety and regulatory adherence.
- Provides hazardous materials training as needed.
- Identifies and addresses equipment issues promptly to maintain safe materials-handling operations.
- Provides access to information on HAZMAT materials and Materials Safety Data Sheets.
- Monitors and services materials-handling equipment to prevent failures and safety hazards.
- Ensures all employees handling hazardous materials are properly trained.
- Maintains materials-handling equipment to ensure it remains in safe, reliable working condition.
- Conducts regular inspections and maintenance to keep materials-handling equipment fully operational.
- Maintains current Materials Safety Data Sheets.
- Establishes and manages maintenance processes that keep materials-handling equipment safe and dependable.
Incident/Hazard MitigationIncident/Hazard Mitigation focuses on preventing incidents from happening in the first place and reducing the severity of hazards that already exist. It is immediate, operational, and rooted in day-to-day safety management. This domain includes identifying hazards early, correcting unsafe conditions, coaching employees on safe behaviors, updating controls as risks evolve, and verifying that corrective actions are effective. The emphasis is on continuous monitoring, rapid response, and proactive risk reduction. In short, Incident/Hazard Mitigation is about keeping the workplace safe right now by eliminating or controlling hazards before they escalate into serious events.
- Reduces hazards in the workplace.
- Verifies that corrective and preventive actions are completed and effective.
- Evaluates whether existing controls are adequate and updates them when risks change.
- Develops and updates hazard-control procedures as new risks emerge.
- Responds promptly to reports of unsafe conditions and resolves them effectively.
- Uses corrective and preventative actions to keep employees safe.
- Conducts hazard assessments to determine the level of risk and appropriate mitigation strategies.
- Takes corrective actions as needed.
- Identifies potential hazards before they lead to incidents and takes steps to eliminate or control them.
- Promotes shared responsibility for identifying and mitigating hazards.
- Addresses unsafe behaviors through coaching, feedback, and reinforcement.
- Recognizes teams or individuals who contribute to hazard reduction.
Disaster RecoveryDisaster Recovery focuses on planning for, responding to, and recovering from major disruptive events--events that exceed normal incident-level hazards and threaten operations, infrastructure, or organizational continuity. This domain includes developing recovery plans, coordinating with internal and external partners, protecting critical systems and data, assessing organizational resilience, and supporting employees during and after a disaster. It emphasizes preparedness, long-term recovery strategies, and the ability to restore operations after a significant disruption. Disaster Recovery is about ensuring the organization can withstand and recover from large-scale emergencies, not just everyday hazards.
- Identifies gaps in recovery capabilities and implements improvements.
- Ensures critical documents, systems, and data are protected and recoverable.
- Tests disaster recovery plans through drills, tabletop exercises, or simulations.
- Evaluates the organization's ability to respond to and recover from disruptions.
- Identifies areas that may be impacted by a disaster.
- Develops and updates emergency response procedures to support disaster recovery efforts.
- Communicates the importance of disaster readiness and reinforces expectations for preparedness.
- Supports employees during and after disruptive events to maintain safety and continuity.
- Prepares disaster recovery plans and procedures.
- Assesses critical operations and identifies resources needed to maintain or restore them after a disaster.
- Conducts risk assessments to identify potential disaster scenarios and their impacts.
- Coordinates with internal teams and external agencies to ensure alignment on disaster recovery plans.
- Engages stakeholders in discussions about resilience and long-term recovery strategies.