In order for us to obtain a zero incident culture it is going to mean more of our members looking inward, asking the difficult questions, and creating more awareness among our members. To do this we anticipate that your principals, teachers, and support staff become more engaged in the role that safety awareness should take in our buildings.
We are asking that safety planning does not begin when someone completes an accident report. It should happen during every meeting, during each planning opportunity, and ultimately become a habit in the mind of us all. Safety committees that meet frequently, accomplish action items, and have dedicated members have been proven to help achieve this goal.
Making strides towards a zero incident culture by increasing safety awareness can positively affect your school in a variety of ways. Improved safety training and a reduction in workers’ compensation claims recently benefited King County. As described in a recent article by the Kent Reporter, King County Executive Dow Constantine proposed preserving 150,000 hours of bus service due to cost savings in several areas, one specifically that saved them $13,000,000. Yes—count those zeros! The article highlights several areas of costs savings including:
- “Safety training and reduced workers’ compensation costs – Work countywide to improve safety training for operators and crews of all kinds has reduced accidents, liability claims, and workers’ compensation costs. Savings: $13 million.”
Just imagine what a culture of zero injuries can do for students and staff in our schools.
