1 Situation
A business had invested heavily in developing a comprehensive Safety Policy, Procedures, and Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS). Despite this, incidents and accidents continued to occur—many of which were preventable. While all staff received the policy upon its introduction and during onboarding, safety awareness was not ingrained in the company culture, and compliance remained inconsistent.
2 Action
Optima worked with management to assess how safety was being promoted beyond the initial introduction of policies. Staff interviews revealed a concerning trend—after the policies were distributed, little was done to reinforce them. Safety incidents were not openly discussed, and in some cases, they were even downplayed or ignored. Employees felt that safety was not a priority, and that management lacked genuine commitment to workplace safety.
To address these issues, the following initiatives were introduced:
- Monthly Toolbox Meetings – Safety became the first item on the agenda to ensure regular discussion and reinforcement.
- Board-Level Safety Discussions – Monthly board meetings now included safety as the first agenda item, incorporating KPIs, incident reports, and business-wide feedback.
- Visible Safety Signage – A safety board was installed, displaying the number of days since the last incident to maintain awareness.
3 Outcomes
Increased Safety Awareness
Regular discussions ensured that safety remained a top priority across all levels of the business.
Cultural Shift
Safety became an active part of the company’s culture, with staff and management working together to maintain a safer workplace.
Improved Incident Reporting
Employees became more engaged in reporting and preventing safety risks rather than ignoring or covering them up.
Better Compliance & Accountability
With safety embedded into daily operations and leadership discussions, accountability improved at all levels.
By transforming safety from a written policy into an ongoing conversation, the business reduced workplace incidents and built a stronger culture of safety and accountability.