Safety Compliance Meaning & Definition

Safety compliance is defined as an ongoing process of complying with the health and safety standards established by regulatory legislators and bodies. Depending on the industry or the nature of
work, there are likely to be strict safety regulations that may apply to the industry or the jurisdiction.

In most situations, failure to comply with health and safety laws can result in criminal proceedings or hefty fines for employers. It is the employer’s responsibility to enforce safety
compliance in the workplace and to foster a safety culture.

To ensure safety compliance, companies don’t just have to focus on meeting their legal duties. It also means to meet the objectives and of the laws as defined by regulatory bodies, including
getting the required licenses or permits, and establishing safety protocols.

The Importance of Safety Compliance

To ensure the safety of employees and non-workers, companies are required to establish safety protocols. Safety compliance ensures that companies take appropriate steps to keep people safe.
Compliance with safety standards, even when there is no direct supervision, is critically important.

The importance of safety compliance cannot be understated, as it helps companies prevent accidents, and allows workers to perform operations, even with heavy machinery, while mitigating the
risk of injury.

Because standards and safety regulations are slightly complicaetd, companies often create safety management systems, and create safety committees to review and assess job sites and protocols to
ensure compliance.

Safety compliance also offers other benefits, some of which are discussed below.

Reduced Turnover and Absenteeism

Implementing health and safety protocols to ensure compliance helps companies reduce turnover and absenteeism. Employees can appreciate that the managers and the company appreciates their work
and cares for their safety, and is taking necessary measures to reduce risk.

Improves Morale and Productivity

Another major advantage of ensuring safety compliance is that it improves morale dramatically. As mentioned above, when employees know that the company cares for them, they are willing to work
harder and are generally more productive.

More importantly, when safety measures are in place, employees have the peace of mind that the chances of injury are less. This reduces stress overall and offers better job satisfaction for
employees.

Reduced Risk of Workers’ Compensation

When a worker sustains an injury, the company has to give them a leave, meanign they need to hire someone else. More importantly, the company is legally and morally required to pay their
medical bills, and continue to pay their salaries while they’re in recovery.

If there are more injuries, these amounts can quickly add up, and coupled with reduced production, it’s very likely that the company may sustain heavy losses. By reducing the risk of injury,
the company can save a significant sum on compensation.

Reduced Healthcare Costs, Penalties, and Litigation Fees

When companies take safety compliance seriously, they are able to reduce the rate of accidents in the workplace. They also reduce the risk of penalties, fines, or litigation fees.

In case of an accident, the company can prove that they took all appropriate steps to ensure the safety of their workers.

Improved Company Image

Companies that take safety compliance severely benefit from a positive reputation and improved good will. This not only improves the company’s public image, but it also allows them to attract
and retain top talent.

Improved ROI

One of the major factors for companies and managers is whether they’ll receive a higher return on investment by investing in safety compliance. There’s little doubt in the fact that this
improves ROI significantly.

Apart from the savings from reduced penalties, fines, or compensation, companies also benefit from a better image and greater employee productivity.

How to Ensure Safety Compliance

Companies often face several challenges to ensure health and safety compliance. These include challenges due to a lack of knowledge, time, or money. However, it’s imperative that companies take
steps to provide a safe and secure work environment.

To ensure safety compliance, the first thing to do is to conduct a detailed risk assessment. This is necessary to identify any and all risks that workers might be exposed to in the
workplace.

Then, it’s important for companies to foster a culture of health and safety compliance by offering training courses and conducting sessions with employees to improve their overall levels of
competence and to ensure that they take safety seriously.

It’s important to engage employees by providing them with an open platform for communication. They should be able to communicate their concerns or offer suggestions, as they are the ones who
are the most at risk.

Companies can also schedule safety compliance audits. These are generally important and should be conducted after regular intervals to determine any risks, assessment protocols, and any new
hazards that come to light. Ideally, a safety compliance audit must also be conducted after an incident in the workplace.

Ensure Safety Compliance with EcoOnline’s Health & Safety Software

EcoOnline’s Health & Safety Software is an excellent cloud-based tool that’s designed to help companies ensure health and safety
compliance in the workplace. It offers a range of modules to assess risk, manage audits, and track any events or incidents in the workplace.