I usually instruct companies to resist the temptation to create new policies—safety-related or otherwise—if possible. There are far too many companies with onerous and outdated policy books. You don't make policy for discrete incidents or due to the behaviors of small numbers of people based on the remote chance of harm or lower productivity.
However, if physical harm is a real possibility, you obviously need to follow all applicable laws and industry norms and potentially institute even more progressive company policies. The cost of administering one good policy always outweighs the costs of one big lawsuit. Besides, keeping your people safe is the right thing to do.
To Whom Should the Rule Apply?
Granted, it can sometimes be difficult to tell, but here is a great rule of thumb: when in doubt, it applies to them. Stated differently, you usually have three camps of people when there is a new safety rule to consider: those to whom it clearly applies, those to whom it might apply, and those to whom it clearly does not apply. Err on the side of caution by including the first two groups.
For example, consider instituting a rule requiring the use of goggles on the shop floor. Should the guys working on the line wear them? Of course. What about that person sitting at a desk in a corner of the shop far away from the action? If he or she physically interacts at all with the dangerous areas of the shop, you bet. This person is similar to the engineer who only occasionally makes a trip to the floor; he or she needs to be protected, too.
Another huge reason to take the "when in doubt, it applies to them" approach is that the more people the policy applies to, the more just and fair it will seem to everyone.
How Should the Rule Be Enforced?
You really have two main options: informal sanctions and formal sanctions.
Formal sanctions include verbal reprimands and written reprimands that can be added to the employee's official file. Unless the violation is malicious and repetitive (and thus clearly a drag on morale and productivity), start with private reprimands. If needed, move to public reprimands, and if still needed, make your objection formal with written comments for the employee's file. Along the way, be sure to stay positive, clearly note the reason for the policy, and point out widespread compliance with the policy by yourself and others.
However, written sanctions for safety-rule violations are typically only needed when the risk of harm is particularly high. Many situations pose minor risks rather than major risks, and in such cases, using informal sanctions is typically the better bet.
Start by using an existing, regularly scheduled group meeting (e.g., a production meeting) to bring up the issue—without naming names as to who is and is not adhering to the standard. Use that forum as a place to talk about, agree upon, and write down particular safety norms supported by the group. Post them for all to see, preferably in multiple places.
Importantly, the group must agree on the group-imposed consequences of violating the norms—these might include something as simple as having to put a dollar in the doughnut fund for the next weekly meeting. In extreme cases, groups can impose harsher sanctions, including ostracizing a nonconforming member. Though not universally effective, group-imposed norms can be powerful—often far more powerful than formal rules and policies.
First, seriously consider the three questions discussed above:
- When do you make a new safety rule?
- To whom should the rule apply?
- How should the rule be enforced?
About the Author
Dr. Todd Dewett is the author of the forthcoming book Leadership Redefined. He is a professor and consultant with a Ph.D. in Management from Texas A&M University and has provided extensive consulting on people-related issues in organizations through large firms (Anderson Consulting, Ernst & Young) as well as on his own.
