Over the last couple of months, I’ve had several conversations with senior managers and business owners about WHS management and implementing effective work health and safety processes.

And one issue keeps coming up.

Time.

“I know we need to do it, but I just don’t have the time.”

“We’ve got so many competing priorities.”

“I’m wearing too many hats already.”

And I understand it.

I run my own business. I know what it is like to start the day planning to work on one thing, only to have a customer call, a staff issue arise, an urgent email arrive, or something else suddenly become the priority.

For small and medium businesses in particular, there is rarely someone sitting around waiting for another job to do.

But one thing I have been discussing with managers recently is this:

You don’t have to do it all yourself.

Effective WHS management isn’t about adding more work to an already busy schedule. Good WHS management is about creating practical systems, processes and responsibilities that make workplace health and safety part of the way your business already operates.

When WHS management is built into everyday business activities, safety doesn’t have to become another task that only gets attention when someone has spare time.

WHS Responsibilities Shouldn’t Belong to One Person

One of the traps we can fall into is thinking that because we are the business owner, senior manager or WHS Manager, we personally have to manage every aspect of WHS management.

We don’t.

Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, health and safety duties can apply to different duty holders, and the legislation recognises that more than one person can have a duty. Good WHS management is therefore about developing simple processes that allow the right people within the business to play their part.

Your supervisors and managers are particularly important to effective WHS management.

They are already out there overseeing the work. They see what is happening. They talk to workers. They know when equipment isn’t right, when a process isn’t working or when someone is taking a shortcut.

The question is whether we have given them the skills, processes and confidence to support WHS management and take action when they identify a problem.

When responsibilities are shared appropriately, WHS management becomes a team effort rather than something that sits entirely with the business owner or senior manager.

Don’t Just Delegate – Develop

There is an important difference between saying:

“You’re a supervisor, safety is your responsibility too.”

and actually showing someone what that means.

If we want supervisors and managers to support WHS management, we need to train and mentor them.

Simply giving someone a safety responsibility without giving them the right knowledge, skills and support isn’t an effective approach to WHS management.

That might mean teaching them how to:

• conduct a simple workplace safety walk
• have a conversation with someone about an unsafe behaviour
• complete a risk assessment or Take 5
• report and follow up a hazard
• conduct a toolbox talk
• investigate a minor incident
• check that procedures are actually being followed
• escalate issues when they need management support

None of these activities necessarily need to take hours.

Often, effective WHS management is about building small safety activities into the normal way the business operates.

For example, a supervisor can incorporate a workplace safety check into their regular responsibilities. A manager can discuss a relevant safety issue during an existing team meeting. Workers can be given a simple process for reporting hazards.

These small activities can strengthen WHS management without creating another large workload for senior management.

The more capable people you have supporting WHS management, the less likely safety becomes dependent on one person having enough time.

Build Simple WHS Processes, Then Share the Load

This is where having good WHS systems and processes becomes so important.

Instead of the senior manager trying to remember everything, create a process that makes responsibilities clear and gives people a consistent way to carry out their role.

For example:

Rather than thinking, “I need to check the workplace more often,” establish a monthly workplace inspection and train a supervisor to complete it.

Rather than thinking, “We really should talk about that incident,” have a simple process requiring supervisors to discuss relevant incidents at the next toolbox meeting.

Rather than relying on one person to identify every hazard, give workers and supervisors an easy way to report hazards when they see them.

The process creates consistency.

The training gives people confidence.

And the mentoring helps them improve over time.

You Still Need to Lead WHS

Sharing the responsibility doesn’t mean senior management walks away from WHS management.

Leadership still matters.

Managers need to set expectations, provide resources, check that things are happening and step in when an issue needs a higher-level decision.

But there is a big difference between leading WHS and trying to personally do every WHS task.

In fact, developing supervisors and managers to take a more active role can make the business stronger overall.

You aren’t just improving safety.

You are developing better leaders.

Start Small

If you’re struggling to find time for WHS in your small business, don’t immediately think you need to find another five hours in your week.

Look at the people and processes you already have.

Ask yourself:

What am I currently doing that one of my supervisors or managers could be trained and mentored to do?

Start with one or two activities.

Give them a simple process.

Show them how to do it.

Let them have a go.

Review it with them.

Then gradually build their capability.

Because if WHS only happens when the business owner or senior manager has time to personally do it, it will always be competing with something else.

The aim isn’t to do everything yourself.

The aim is to build a business where safety is simply part of how everyone does their job.

That’s what effective WHS management should look like: practical processes, capable people and shared responsibility.

If you need support reviewing your current WHS processes or developing a more practical approach to workplace health and safety, get in touch with CHD Partners to discuss how we can help.