To help employees understand their roles, the component recently completed a document that outlines safety policies and roles and responsibilities for everyone. These guidelines mark the first time that a complete document of company safety policies has been available to employees. The new document emphasizes the idea that everyone, in all our global locations, should comply with local and national regulations. The document outlines the company's expectations and ideas, but each site can decide how it will meet these expectations. One suggestion that the department recommends for implementation is the use of safety committees composed of employee volunteers.
Some countries require safety committees at sites.
Getting the employees involved makes sense, too, because they know working conditions, practices and procedures. They are the best ones to recommend changes. The component also wants to stress that safety has to become a mind-set within the corporate culture. She admits the difficulty in creating this everyday perspective and suggests that spending just five minutes per staff meeting on safety issues can make a difference by emphasizing its importance. And, a recent case shows the necessity for the proactive emphasis.