We hear so much about safety management and safety managers but I’ve been exploring another notion; that of safety leaders.

Implementing or maintaining a sound safety management system (SMS) requires a number of what is commonly called safety champions.  This term is thrown around a lot, but of course what we really mean is safety leaders. 
In simple terms, I think of a leader as someone who shows the way; that is someone who guides people in the businesses safety efforts; someone who is a safety influencer. 

 
Another important attribute of a leader is courage.  A safety leader must not wilt in their efforts when the going gets tough.

I like to see the CEO as the ultimate safety leader of his or her business community.  I sometimes see a CEO who talks safety but is not seen as the organization’s safety leader.  Sometimes this is because, well frankly, they are not passionate about safety and just not a safety leader in spite of what they say.  When this occurs, safety leadership is left to other managers, or some ‘cultural leader’ within the organization.  Worse still, the organization is rudderless when it comes to safety.  This never produces optimal safety results.

Safety leadership is time consuming but so is monitoring the financial situation.  Safety leadership is just as important and a part of any aviation business. 

It does not have to be complex though; simple things like a short paragraph in the monthly safety newsletter, including a discussion about safety when meeting employees, talking up the safety record (or improvements to safety) at every opportunity, participating fully in the safety Committee meetings, ensuring safety is properly resourced, personally thanking a team or individual who makes a significant safety improvement.  There are dozens of simple and effective ideas which can make a CEO or any manager into a safety leader.  Remember though that in the final analysis, safety is all about people!

In my experience, safety leadership is not well understood by some senior managers in the aviation industry but it is really very important to ensure that the organization grows a great safety culture.  Safety leaders are not just safety managers!

For more about this issue, see my book, “Safety Management without the Mumbo Jumbo” available in hard copy from my secure website.  Click here to buy the hard copy.  It is also available as an e-book from Palmer Higgs e-Bookshop.  Click here to buy the E-book.  The E-book is also available from www.Amazon.com and search in the kindle store for the title.

I have been following and contributing to a couple of international forums about Safety Management Systems (SMS) and building a good safety culture.  Whilst not intending to be critical of my international colleagues, I’ve notices a couple of concepts emerging which are interesting.

The first is that a good safety culture is a tangible thing that you can buy and take to your business, and, bingo, the business has a good safety culture – Problem solved – next!.  For example, the business ‘buys’ an SMS, goes through the implementation motions and just like pouring Coca-Cola into a half glass of water, the colour has changed to black and we have a good safety culture - Right?!  I wish it was that easy, but as most will realise it is not so and a lot of hard work by a fully committed workforce over time is required to develop a good safety culture.  Whilst the SMS is a cornerstone of the safety culture, it is not the only key element. 

In my view safety is all about PEOPLE!  People need to be motivated, encouraged, supported, trained etc., and managers must be fully committed to building a good safety culture.  This is another and possibly the most important element of a great safety culture.  I often see managers who think that they are fully committed but lack the skills or talent or just get so caught up with other stuff, that safety takes a back seat too often.  These are the guys who, make safety policy, send emails about safety issues, attend safety committee meetings, address audit recommendations but … rarely if ever, get down to the coal face to talk to people about the businesses safety goals and why, and listen (that means stop talking), to employee concerns ideas and issues!

The other notion which intrigues me is that of the importance of the Safety Regulator to make objective rules to require businesses to have a SMS.  Unfortunately, in the context of developing a great safety culture, this notion is delusional!

Establishing standards is one function of a safety regulator, but it is not the only one!  The rule making process should include collaboration and consultation with the industry and other stakeholders, and this is just as important as the rule itself.  Another important function is safety promotion and education about safety management systems and safety cultures.  This should empower businesses to take responsibility, and provide them with the knowledge, skills and tools to develop good safety cultures.  In my view this is incredibly important and thankfully one which the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has done well over the years.

To read more about my views about safety management, see my book, “Safety Management without the Mumbo Jumbo” which can be purchased from my secure web site.  Click here to purchase the book. 

Due to exceptional support, the book is now also available as an E-Book for your e-reader device.  Buy from Palmer Higgs bookstore http://www.palmerhiggsbooks.com.au/safety-management-without-the-mumbo-jumbo-ebook.html