Editorial: Embedding a culture of safety

Everyone must be able to return home safely at the end of each day, whether working or on holiday.

Unfortunately, some focus too much on other priorities at work or in their leisure time, not giving sufficient attention to their own health and the health and well-being of others.

The quad bike accident that resulted in a young Italian tourist falling off a cliff and dying has shocked many.

It also brought an immediate reaction by the authorities, whose responsibility is to ensure that public areas are safe and that people are made aware of existing risks in particular sites.

A proposal to install safety railings near the site where this accident occurred was initially rejected due to the visual impact on the area.

It has now been decided to post warning signs for those who frequent sites that are intrinsically dangerous for visitors. Still, more needs to be done to embed a culture of safety in the community, including those who visit us for their holidays.

It is depressing that those responsible for keeping the public safe often fail to do so and only react when accidents happen. The regular construction site accidents are sufficient evidence that employers, workers and the health and safety authorities are often not buying into a safety culture.

Despite regulations defining what needs to be done to promote public safety, non-compliance is commonplace. The authorities often only act when it is too late to prevent fatalities.

The way many ignored the safety instructions near the Azure Window some years ago shows how the lack of enforcement of safety regulations is endemic and tolerated.

Doctors for Road Safety are doing an admirable job nudging the authorities to take their health and safety responsibilities to the public more seriously.

For instance, they are correct in arguing that those most at risk on the road are motorcyclists and pedestrians.

Undoubtedly, the increase in the number of cars on our roads, the dubious competence of many drivers to drive safely and the inadequate enforcement of traffic regulations are some significant daily risks that road users face.

Traffic wardens are often more focused on fining drivers who park irregularly than sanctioning those who engage in dangerous driving practices.

Employers and those responsible for ensuring that the public is kept safe must adopt safety leadership as a management approach that prioritises employee safety at the workplace and the people’s well-being when using public places.

This is more than focusing on compliance with regulations and responding to incidents afterwards.

It is about proactively identifying potential risks and taking action to prevent them. Sadly, in this country where laws are made to be broken, we need constant educational campaigns, and sometimes we need to go to basics where it comes to teaching common sense and decency.

The community also needs safety leaders who actively promote a safety culture in workplaces and areas open to the public. They go beyond simply enforcing policies and regulations, even if this element is crucial.

They create an environment where safety is a core value ingrained in the community’s mindset. Safety leaders constantly look for ways to improve safety protocols and mitigate potential hazards before accidents occur.

They work with safety managers who ensure that anyone responsible for keeping the community safe complies with various health and safety laws. Safety mangers also investigate accidents and update their practices based on lessons learned.

We simply cannot continue ignoring accidents which could have been avoided.