The significant ways of thinking and doing, which underpin a positive health and safety (H&S) culture suited to the organization, are identified and applied. Culture is a lever that can assist the board and senior managers in improving company and safety performance. Setting out a culture strategy for H&S as part of a health and safety management system (SMS) is necessary for excellence.
Culture consists of the shared of ways of thinking and doing in respect of the most significant risks of the organization, which underpin the approach to devising and implementing the SMS. Current thinking suggests there are seven (7) attributes of an integrated H&S culture.
Different positive cultural characteristics may be more relevant to some parts of the business. For example, a just and fair reporting culture may be more pertinent to enhance learning in front-line work. In contrast, a safety culture of doubt, and a challenge culture of questioning, may be more relevant to those in engineering functions concerned with the high-hazard systemic risks of the infrastructure.
