The other day, a SafetyXChange member posted a note on the Forum asking if other safety folks had to answer to their HR directors on safety issues. If so, the member asked, what safety qualifications does the HR director have. These are great questions and I know just what the member is getting at. Sometimes safety directors find themselves in the situation of having to report to an HR director who is blissfully unaware of safety. If you're one of them, don't despair. There may still be hope.

Note on Terminology

This article applies not just to HR directors but other persons within an organization that a safety director might have to report to.

The Problem of the Uninformed HR Director

I'm not suggesting that all HR directors are completely uninformed about safety. I'm currently taking an HR Generalist certification program. The course work does cover safety topics such as OSHA and workers' compensation. But it can be troubling when safety directors report to HR directors regarding safety issues and that it's the latter rather than the former who decide what safety-related policies, procedures and practices the organization should adopt.

I guess it's not uncommon for people to be placed in charge of subjects about which they have little or no knowledge. Some teachers work for a principal who has spent little, if any, time in the classroom; and brand new second lieutenants get put in charge of a platoon of battle-tested soldiers or marines. But the fact that other professionals face the same challenge isn't much consolation if a safety director feels that the HR director's authority over safety may be harmful to the organization.

Two Ways to Handle the Uninformed HR Director

What can you do if you find yourself in this situation? It depends on what kind of person the HR director is. Let's examine your options based on a couple of hypothetical HR directors.

Scenario 1: HR Directors Who Admit Their Ignorance About Safety

The best case scenario is to have an HR director who is somewhat progressive and admits openly that he or she knows very little about safety. In this case, your first step is to arrange a meeting to discuss what you do and review your job description.

Bringing all your diplomatic skills to play may enable you to function with some degree of autonomy, while assuring the HR director that you have no intention of doing an end run around his or her authority and that your intent is to make the HR director's job easier while fulfilling your own responsibilities. To that end, emphasize your willingness to cooperate and clarify any issues that may present a concern.

Scenario 2: HR Directors Who Think They Know Safety But Don't

At the other end of the spectrum, you may encounter the rare but difficult beast: the HR director who doesn't know anything about safety but is unwilling to admit it, or worse, knows just enough to be dangerous. This person may even know a few words of "safety lingo," but misuses or mispronounces them. A good analogy is the boss in Dilbert whose lack of knowledge does not deter him. In extreme cases, the HR director may be a megalomaniac and micromanager who questions every action, decision and purchase and impedes you in your work.

Dealing with this kind of HR director is a handful. It requires an artful balance of diplomacy, ego nourishment and reality. Telling the person that he or she lacks knowledge is not advisable - although it may be tempting. Instead consider discussing what your work entails including legal requirements and follow up your discussion with a written summary.

You might also consider offering to present an overview of safety including some history and philosophy, the role of OSHA and other regulatory agencies and how safety affects the bottom line. Direct your presentation to all managers and supervisors so the HR director doesn't feel singled out. If possible, consider making this presentation at your organization's monthly management meetings.

Another source of support could come from both your workers' compensation and property insurance carriers. Ask if their loss control representatives would be willing to meet with you and your boss to go over loss reports, the services that they offer and the like. An added bonus to this strategy is that the information may add to the HR director's knowledge and serve to reassure him or her that you do indeed know what you are doing. This in turn may cause the boss to loosen the stifling grip on you.

Conclusion

I know these ideas may look good on paper. But will they work in real life? They might, but there's no guarantee. What I do know is that the success of you and your safety program will to a large degree depend on your effectiveness in enlisting the HR director's support. Even if the person doesn't have a lot of knowledge on the topic of workplace safety, try to do all that you can to make that person aware of its importance.

PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM SAFETY JOHN

How to Use the Safety Bulletin Board

By John Lowrie

Here's a tip to help make your safety program more effective: maintain the brightest and most up-to-date bulletin board in the facility. Most work settings usually have several bulletin boards. But often, they're hardly noticed. Why? Because the board is either too busy or too drab and the information is out-dated.

I'm a firm believer in the value of a bulletin board. So I have always seen to it that bulletin boards I am responsible for are just the opposite of the norm. Here are some ways to make your bulletin board work for you:

• Use color and imagination
• Decorate the boards for the season
• Communicate results compared to goals with colorful, simple graphs
• Post pictures of safe-working employees. People actually do love pictures of themselves
• Update the board at least monthly

When you show that you care, more people care about what you have to share!

LAUGHTER AT WORK
Joke of the Week

Last week, we asked you to share jokes you use to break the ice in training sessions. Thanks to everyone who sent them in – we're still chuckling. Here's one of our favorites.

If You Can't Say Anything Good …

Brother John entered the "Monastery of Silence" and the Head Priest said to him, "Brother John, this is a silent monastery. You are welcome here as long as you like, but you may not speak until I direct you to do so." Brother John nodded his assent.

A year passed when Brother John was summoned by the Head Priest, who said, "Brother John, you've been here for a year now. You may speak two words."

Brother John answered, "Hard bed."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said the Head Priest. "We'll get you a better bed."

Another year passed. Brother John was again summoned by the Head Priest, who said, "Brother John, you may say another two words now."

Brother John replied, "Cold food."

The Head Priest assured him that the food would be better in the future.

On Brother John's third anniversary of his stay at the monastery, he was again called to visit the Head Priest. And again he was asked to say two words.

"I quit," said Brother John.

The Head Priest nodded, "It's probably just as well. All you've done since you got here is complain."

Submitted by another "Safety John"
John Wettstein, CRSP
Wettstein Safety Strategies, Inc.
Edmonton, Alberta

If you've got a joke or riddle you'd like to share, send them to catherinej@bongarde.com. Let us know if we can use your name/company name.

ACCIDENT vs. INCIDENT
The Final Word

The concluding statement in yesterday's great debate got cut-off. We're sorry about that. Here's the final word on the topic.

A Supervisor's View

Actually, I don't have time to debate which word one uses to label whatever went wrong (preventable or not preventable). Why? Because I am a first line supervisor trying to stay one step ahead of "harm's way" and its next victim. I just want to find and read some good safety stuff that I can digest and pass on to the overworked masses that also don't have time to debate the obvious.

A word to the wise before you find yourself looking for another profession.  Stick to the real philosophy of Accident Prevention (there, I said it) and save the web time for something that will help us folks in the trenches reduce or minimize mishaps.

If you really want something to spend all that penned up brain energy on try contingency operations and disaster preparedness. That should serve two purposes: 1) give us something we can use and, 2) keep you gainfully employed.  Hope I haven't been too hard on you. Now, get back to work!

Clarence Moore, BTC
Caterpillar PPP Group.
Sumter, SC

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