As I have been writing about fundamental safety practices and how they play a critical role in OSH and Process Safety in the workplace, my views get pounded by the HOP and Psychological safety gurus. As I have said countless times, HOP and Psychological Safety have roles in a world-class safety management system; however, they are just supporting roles and are not core to the SMS. I believe in, and practice BOTH in the SMS’s I develop for clients.
But I draw the line at how employees “feel mentally” vs. having a physical injury/ailment.
This all goes back to the MATURITY of the SMS and where we need to emphasize making substantial improvements in reducing hazards (physical and behavioral) within our workplaces. Sure, how employees feel mentally while at work matters, but damn it, we are safety professionals, educated and trained to:
