Safety needs to be a key component of everything an organization does. This means that all employees should be well aware of the safety requirements surrounding their duties and those of other employees. There must also be open communication, with all workers feeling confident to inform others of identified hazards. These should be immediately reported to a supervisor.
Team building exercises are a great way of building a team safety culture. Keep your team building exercises simple by playing simple games, and have team outings. Have sessions where you talk about the benefits of team building. Focus on building a culture of transparency, care and responsibility.
Employers should foster a culture in which employees feel free to speak about any concerns they may have about the work environment regarding safety. Employers need to take these concerns seriously, and act upon the concerns expressed.
Employers should be aware of the socio-economic, racial, gender, societal, and demographic dynamics of the workplace. By making a genuine effort to understand the situation and concerns of each worker, a more caring workplace environment will be fostered. This will flow on to help create a safety oriented workplace.
The bottom line is that greater the teamwork, the safer the workplace.