GuilfordPare Press Room.

Risk Tip Safety Responsibility Lies with Each Individual-Who is ultimately responsible for the safety of your work environment? Who gets the blame when there is an accident? Is it the responsibility of management or the employee? The answer is: responsibility for safety belongs to everyone.

Management is responsible for ensuring that workplace safety policies are in place and enforced. Employees must be aware of these policies and procedures and incorporate them in their daily activities.

Encourage employees to take ownership of their workplace to ensure potential safety hazards are identified and corrected. In this manner, an employee can find a potentially hazardous situation and correct it before it becomes a problem. When employees look out for themselves and co-workers, they increase their safety awareness, which leads to a safer workplace.

So when one of your colleagues is asked who is responsible for maintaining a safe work environment, his or her answer should be: "I am." With everyone from top-level management to the newest employee keeping an eye on safety, the number and severity of workplace accidents will decrease ... and productivity will climb.

By: Marcia DeWitt
President and CEO
GuilfordPare
Baltimore, MD