In order for a safety program to be effective, it is crucial for workers to become active participants. By making them knowledgeable about the importance of these policies, a company can gain their attention to these issues, as well as ensure that their attitude regarding safety measures is based on conscious efforts. Guidelines by the United States Department of Labor state that:
“Sharing relevant safety and health information with workers fosters trust and helps organizations make more informed safety and health decisions.”
Moreover, by involving workers in the creation of such programs, a company gains more coverage of the problem from various points of view.
One of the practical implementations is temporary committees that include people who will be directly affected by required measures for increasing safety. For example, if a factory wants to modify its parking lot in order to make it more pedestrian-friendly, it should first acquire specialists that are able to provide their vision regarding this issue. Next, a selection of workers from different departments who are using this parking space is called for creating a final image of safe and adequate parking lanes. Another example is direct contact between safety officers and workers in a factory who have concerns regarding air conditioning. By making them knowledgeable about hazards related to reduced airflow, officers can then gather a list of required improvements.