How many C-suite executives can actually discuss the safety controls/barriers/activities they invest in every year? We can NOT control the injury rates, but we CAN CONTROL those safety controls/barriers/activities that have been put into place to impact those injury rates.
FOCUS on what we CAN CONTROL, and if our safety controls/barriers/activities follow the Hierarchy of Controls, that will FUNDAMENTALLY lead to reduced incidents (e.g., its science – not luck).
But it is a fun (sarcasm) exercise to ask the C-suite to name the safety controls/barriers/activities they support that drive the organization’s injury rate. It is a tough discussion to have when the maturity level of the SMS is in its infancy, but it can be an eye-opener as to their role in the SMS.
Simply draw a vertical line. On the right-hand side, write the Injury Rate(s) the company uses to gauge their safety. Then on the left-hand side, ask them to name the safety controls/barriers/activities that are in place that produces that rate(s).
