Page 32 - OHS, April/May 2025

F A C I L I T Y I N D O O R A I R S A F E T Y
Q U A L I T Y
Building a Culture of Safety at Your Facility Starts with the
Building a Culture of Safety at Your Facility Starts with the
Psychological
Psychological
How psychological safety infl uences workplace injury prevention and off ers strategies for
safety professionals to foster more open, trust-based environments.
BY GLORIANNA L. REESER
safety in terms of OSHA regu-
Most folks think of workplace
lations, safety data sheets, and
training sessions. But psycho-
logical safety is just as important. It’s the
key to a culture of safety that empowers
workers to report hazards, call out unsafe
behavior, and off er constructive safety
feedback without worrying about backlash.
Without a foundation of psychological
safety, even the most well-intended safety
programs can fail to create lasting change.
But it’s never too late to start laying the
groundwork at your own organization.
In this piece, I’ll explain how—and high-
light the unique role safety professionals
play in fostering a psychologically safe envi-
ronment. But fi rst, let’s take a closer look at
the key components of psychological safety
and how they impact your safety program.
In the Workplace, Psychological
Safety Has a Trickle-Down Effect
Imagine a construction worker who sees a
loose electrical wire sparking near a high-
traffi c area but hesitates to report it. Th e
crew is on a tight deadline, and they don’t
want to be scolded by the fl oor supervisor
for slowing down work.
A few days later, the wire short-circuits,
leading to a small fi re that forces an evacuation
and damages equipment. It’s a massive setback
for everyone. But more importantly, it’s an in-
cident that could have been prevented if the
worker had felt comfortable speaking up.
Scenarios like this one are all too com-
mon: one survey found workers who feel
psychologically unsafe are 80 percent more
likely1 to report a workplace injury that re-
sults in medical attention or time off .
Th at said, psychological safety can be
challenging to measure: I’ve found that when
workers don’t feel safe, they’re usually hesitant
to report dangerous conditions at all. Th at fur-
ther increases the risk of accidents or injuries.
But what happens when workers do feel
psychologically safe? More oft en than not,
1STunningART/stock.adobe.com
they feel more motivated and make smarter
decisions. What’s more, they feel empow-
ered to speak up when something’s amiss.
In fact, Google’s Project Aristotle found that
psychological safety is the no. 1 determinant
of team success2—even more than a strict
team hierarchy with rigid rule enforcement.
How to Foster Psychological
Safety in Your Organization
Despite the benefi ts I’ve outlined, many or-
ganizations struggle to create an environ-
ment that fosters psychological safety. Some
of the most common barriers include:
■ Top-down leadership styles: Focus-
ing too much on leadership hierarchies
can discourage honest feedback and tamp
down engagement.
■ Resistance to change: Entrenched
workplace norms can keep new initiatives
from catching on.
■ Poor mental health awareness: It’s
tough for workers to be upfront about their
mental health when they’re worried about
being judged.
To break down these barriers, I recom-
mend encouraging leaders on the ground to:
■ Engage in active listening. Th is can
take the form of regular one-on-one check-
ins, anonymous surveys, or structured lis-
tening sessions. Th e key is to meaningfully
engage with workers’ concerns, ask clarify-
ing questions, and demonstrate an honest
commitment to change.
■ Practice vulnerability: To earn
workers’ trust, it’s important for leaders to
admit their own mistakes and show how
they plan to learn going forward.
■ Approach confl ict constructively.
How leaders handle confl ict can have a
serious impact on psychological safety.
Consider investing in confl ict resolution
training, and encourage teams to welcome
uncomfortable conversations. It’s impor-
tant to frame confl ict as an opportunity for
learning and growth.
■ Foster a culture of respect. Th is
means creating room for everyone’s per-
spectives, no matter their position. Respect
has to be ingrained in workplace interac-
tions at every level.
With a proactive approach, organiza-
tions can create an environment where em-
ployees feel more valued and heard.
The Role of Safety Professionals:
Moving Beyond Rule Enforcement
Safety professionals can play a unique
role in fostering a psychologically healthy
workplace. Th e key is to make psychologi-
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