Workplace safety cultures fall into three categories: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Some organizations set the gold standard in safety, while others struggle with attitudes and behaviors that put their employees at risk. Understanding these different safety cultures can help identify where your organization stands and how to improve.
The Ugly: A Culture of Excuses
In workplaces with a poor safety culture, no one truly wins. These organizations are filled with justifications for unsafe behavior:
- “I forgot.”
- “It’ll only take a minute.”
- “Wearing safety gear just slows me down.”
- “I’ve done this for years and never been hurt.”
- “The risk isn’t high enough to justify extra precautions.”
Excuses like these are not just dangerous; they are deadly. Organizations where unsafe behaviors are tolerated often see preventable injuries and fatalities. Occupational Health and Safety Officer Ted Lane, who has investigated over 100 fatal accidents and more than 300 disabling injuries, estimates that 80% of these incidents were not just preventable, but easily preventable—if only the known hazards had been addressed.
The Bad: A Bureaucratic Approach to Safety
The Good: When Safety Becomes a Way of Life
In contrast, organizations with strong safety cultures don’t just enforce rules—they create an environment where safety is valued and ingrained into daily operations. Employees don’t see safety as a set of restrictions; they see it as a fundamental part of how they work.
A prime example is Alcoa Inc., a leading producer of aluminum. In 1987, new CEO Paul O’Neill made worker safety the company’s top priority. At his first investor meeting, he didn’t discuss profits or market strategies; he talked about workplace safety.
“I want to talk to you about worker safety,” O’Neill said. “Every year, numerous Alcoa workers are injured so badly that they miss a day of work. Our safety record is better than the general American workforce, but it’s not good enough. I intend to make Alcoa the safest company in America. I intend to go for zero injuries.”
Investors were baffled. Some immediately sold their shares, thinking O’Neill was out of touch. But within a year, Alcoa’s profits hit record highs. By the time O’Neill retired in 2000, the company’s net income had grown fivefold, and its market capitalization had increased by $27 billion. More importantly, Alcoa had become one of the safest companies in the world, with worker injury rates falling to one-twentieth of the U.S. average.
O’Neill’s approach demonstrated a key principle: when employees see that safety is prioritized, they become more engaged, more productive, and more committed to their work. A genuine safety culture builds trust and efficiency, which in turn drives business success.
Where Does Your Organization Stand?
Every company falls somewhere on the spectrum of safety culture. Those in the “ugly” category must address underlying attitudes and hold employees accountable for unsafe behaviors. Those in the “bad” category should shift their focus from policies and liability to genuine employee well-being. And those already in the “good” category must continue reinforcing safety as a core company value.
The key takeaway? Safety culture isn’t about checking boxes or avoiding fines. It’s about fostering an environment where every employee feels responsible for their own safety and the safety of their colleagues. Companies that get it right don’t just prevent injuries—they create a workplace where employees feel valued, protected, and empowered to perform at their best.
Work smart. Stay strong. Speak up.
Related Articles
- All Posts
- 360 Immersive
- 360immersive
- accident prevention
- Alberta safety courses
- Allan James Moore
- asking for help
- avoidable injuries
- awareness
- back strain
- BambooHR integration
- biometric sensors
- BIS Podcast
- BIS Safety Software
- black holes
- Brave Leadership
- burnout
- Canadian safety history
- carbon monoxide
- CCOHS
- chemical
- chemical vapors
- chronic injuries
- chronic pain
- Coming Soon
- community safety programs
- Competency in Safety
- Compliance
- compliance courses
- compliance tools
- compliance vs protection
- Construction advocacy
- Construction education
- Construction industry
- construction safety training
- continuous safety improvement
- crane
- Customer Spotlight
- Customer Spotlight Kevin Swinden Global Hazmat Safety Culture Hazmat Management Dangerous Goods Competency in Safety Workplace Risk Mitigation BIS Training Clients Canadian EHS
- customized training
- daily trip inspection
- Dangerous Goods
- Danny Sellers
- data-driven safety
- digital forms
- Dr. Joanna Pagonis
- driver file management
- driver training
- early intervention
- EHS
- Einstein
- electrical safety
- emergency preparedness
- emergency response
- emergency supplies
- emotional training
- employee health
- employee safety
- employee training
- ergonomic risks
- ergonomics
- evidence collection
- exoskeletons
- fall protection
- field safety
- field safety services
- fire prevention
- first aid kit
- first week on the job
- first workplace injury
- fleet management
- frontline safety
- Global Hazmat
- gravitational waves
- hand injuries
- hands-on training
- hazard communication
- hazard prevention
- hazard recognition
- Hazmat Management
- Health & Safety Podcast
- hearing loss prevention
- heavy equipment safety
- hidden workplace hazards
- high voltage systems
- HR automation
- HR software
- human-centered safety
- humor in safety
- immersive learning
- Imposter Syndrome
- incident data
- incident investigation
- incident reporting
- industrial safety
- injury consequences
- injury prevention
- injury prevention tips
- injury recovery
- injury reporting
- injury response
- injury response plan
- internal audits
- invisible dangers
- Jennifer Lastra
- job site hazards
- job site risks
- job site safety
- Jody Young
- KBR Safety Training
- Kevin Swinden
- labor movement
- ladder safety
- Leadership
- leadership accountability
- leadership and empathy
- learning from incidents
- lifting techniques
- LIGO
- LMS
- lockout tagout
- lone workers
- mental health at work
- MI Safety
- minor injuries
- new workers
- no-blame investigations
- noise exposure
- Northern BC
- NRCA
- NSC Standard 13
- occupational fatigue
- occupational hazards
- occupational health
- occupational safety
- OHSA
- oil and gas safety
- onboarding safety
- Online safety training
- organizational safety
- OSHA compliance
- OSHA standards
- overhead crane courses
- pain awareness
- personal protective equipment
- physics careers
- pipeline safety
- podcast
- post-accident review
- post-incident protocol
- PPE
- PPE enforcement
- PPE improvement
- pre-trip inspection
- pretrip inspection
- proactive safety measures.
- Professional development
- psychological hazards
- psychological safety
- repetitive motion injuries
- respirator safety
- risk management
- risk reduction
- road safety
- Robin Postnikoff
- root cause analysis
- routine task risks
- safe work habits
- safety
- safety accountability
- safety advice
- safety article
- safety awareness
- safety best practices
- safety communication
- safety compliance
- Safety Conversations
- safety culture
- safety engagement
- safety follow-up
- safety gear
- safety habits
- safety innovation
- safety insights
- safety inspection
- Safety Leaders
- safety leadership
- safety legislation
- safety lessons
- safety management
- safety management system
- safety metrics
- safety motivation.
- safety myths
- safety podcast
- safety procedure updates
- safety review process
- safety shortcuts
- Safety Spotlight
- safety systems
- safety technology
- safety theater
- safety tips
- safety training
- safety transparency
- silent dangers
- silica dust
- Sinogap Solutions
- slow-building hazards
- smart helmets
- space science
- supervisor training
- team communication
- teamwork
- Total Recordable Injury Formula
- tough guy mentality
- toxic air
- training
- training courses
- training matrix
- training record management
- transportation
- Trust and Accountability
- unseen workplace threats
- vehicle safety
- veteran advice
- Virtual Reality
- VR safety training
- VR Technology
- wearable technology
- WHMIS
- witness statements
- women in leadership
- work-alone training
- work-related injuries
- worker accountability
- worker advocacy
- worker fatigue
- worker protection
- worker safety
- worker safety habits
- worker trust
- workers' rights
- workforce management
- workforce training
- workplace accidents
- workplace air quality
- workplace best practices
- workplace certification
- Workplace Culture
- workplace hazards
- workplace health
- workplace incident response
- workplace injuries
- workplace injury prevention
- workplace mindset
- workplace risk factors
- workplace risk management
- Workplace Risk Mitigation
- Workplace safety
- workplace safety culture
- workplace safety rules
- workplace safety tips
- workplace safety training
- workplace stress
- workplace tiredness
- workplace wellness
- WSPS
Too many workers risk injury by refusing help to appear tough. This article explains how asking for help and supporting...
Canada’s safety standards weren’t handed down—they were hard-won. This article explores the rise of workplace safety from the early industrial...
Workplace safety cultures fall into three categories: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Some organizations set the gold standard...
