Dan Hannan, CSP
As the safety leader for your company your challenges are many, and leveraging resources for safety program progress can be a great way to drive improvements. One of the items at the top of your list is likely the need to convince the decision makers that more needs to be done to “move the safety needle” in the right direction. The business case is always a preferred method as money talks. A well thought out and justified initiative can still die on the vine because resources that can help you drive safety performance.
Insurance Broker or Carrier: At some point in your career you’ll likely cross paths with an insurance loss control representative that services your company. Establishing a working relationship with these individuals can strengthen your case for internal safety initiatives and help sell the value from a different angle. Their job is to help you, the insured, prevent losses that the insurance company would have to pay out as a claim. The loss control reps come from a variety of backgrounds and servicing your account is driven principally by the size of your annual premium. Loss control is tied very closely to underwriting which of course is tied closely to your company’s risk manager (insurance buyer), HR, or even the CFO. Their recommendations carry weight as the insured wants to please the insurer to receive the best possible insurance rate to reduce the cost of the worker compensation, auto, and general liability premium.
Safety Consultant: These paid outside safety professionals can provide expertise in a wide variety of areas when needed and offer a “fresh set of eyes”. Getting this third-party professional in front of senior leadership can help them to better understand the human and business value of being proactive. The consultants value is often their ability to provide proven solutions drawn from their professional experience and book of business. “Let me share a success story that one of my other clients is having since they implemented a new safety management system…”
Industry Associations: Paying dues to an industry association often means you have access to safety related services. Some, like the Associated General Contractors (AGC), have dedicated safety professionals that are charged with assisting their members through training or written program development. This outside resource can be brought in to help plant a seed of change through discussion with decision makers in your organization. Industry associations know that helping members share information including best-practices is a means of adding value and staying competitive in the marketplace.
There are times when getting enough traction to move a safety agenda forward requires the help of other professionals, and knowing how to leverage available resources for safety program improvement is a great way to drive safety program improvement.
If you are looking for more information about how to leverage outside safety resources contact Dan.Hannan@HilmersonServices.com
