September 2014 marks the one-year anniversary of the forced resignation of Cal/OSHA Chief Ellen Widess and the start of direct rule by Department of Industrial Relations Director Christine Baker. A year later there is no permanent leadership team, the roster is riddled with vacancies, and policy decisions have lurched between “political spin” crises and administrative diktats in response.

The term hard skills is defined as "specific, teachable abilities that can be defined and measured. By contrast, soft skills are less tangible and harder to quantify. Examples of hard skills include job skills like typing, writing, math, reading and the ability to use software programs; soft skills are personality-driven skills like etiquette, getting along with others, listening and engaging in small talk.”

When it comes to boosting health and safety performance, most managers recognise that worker involvement is the key to success. Positive relationships between employers and employees, as well as between employees themselves, pay dividends and help enhance productivity.

Doubt is an important part of acting ethically.  Doubt is what causes us to stop and ask ourselves – Is this really such a good idea?

Opportunity Teaching. Every day, events in the world give us the opportunity to teach a safety concept or principle. When you pay attention to the news and social media you will be able to capture subjects your employees are actually thinking about; therefore, your message is more likely to be remembered.

More than 24 years ago when I began speaking to audiences about safety, this was the title of my presentation. I was reminded of it when I was being interviewed by Dave Johnson with ISHN www.ishn.com.

Providing a published document that states the organization’s values is a common business practice for many companies. This values document, in turn, should lead to strategies that help establish a culture that lives and delivers these values. Many times, employee safety is a stated value. 

Acting ethically requires constant vigilance.  One slip-up can have serious, long-term consequences. A recent news report demonstrates the importance of a strong defense when it comes to acting ethically.