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Safety is NOT your priority
Thomas Sproston • 18 March 2021
It just isn’t and nor should it be. Here’s Why….
As an entity: business, charity or another form– you absolutely must not forget your reason for existing! A business exists to make cash for the shareholders, a charity exists to help its beneficiaries, a Community Interest Company exists to help its community. Striving for achievement of and improvement of performance against this reason for your existence should be your first priority.
Also - priorities change.
But it’s often claimed that entities should not compromise their values in their pursuit of furthering their existence. This is where safety comes in – it should be considered as a value that absolutely cannot be compromised in pursuit of their existence. You must do what you do to the best of your abilities and desired, but you must do that without compromise to acceptable levels of safety.
By compromise I’m not talking about a state achieved after consideration of performance against a particular risk and subsequent non-implementation of safety measures (I’ll discuss this proportionality concept at a later date) – I’m talking about not compromising your values in respect safety; not accepting anything less than what you desire (or require, if you haven’t yet specified a more arduous desire).
It is only a compromise of your values in respect of safety than can cause a reduction in the level of safety – hold it in suitably high regard, implement appropriate management systems, measures and build and maintain the proper culture – and your safety performance will look after itself.
Equally; appropriate strategies, systems and culture will not impede the entity’s performance in achieving it’s reason for existing - done properly, they will actually complement and improve the performance substantially!
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