In the evolving landscape of workplace safety, the mantra "empower to improve" has never been more relevant. As we navigate through the complexities of modern work environments, a transformative shift is occurring, moving away from traditional compliance-driven models towards a culture deeply rooted in engagement, innovation, and ethical responsibility. This shift is not just a trend but a fundamental change in how we perceive and enact safety within our organisations, fostering a climate where safety and wellbeing lead the way towards unprecedented performance.

Fostering a Culture of Safety: The Power of Words in the Workplace

In the ever-evolving landscape of occupational health and safety management, the power of language is often underestimated. As managers and supervisors, the terms we use daily can shape perceptions, influence behaviour, and ultimately dictate our safety programs' effectiveness. The traditional safety management lexicon—words like "audit," "investigation," and "officer"—while rooted in long-standing practices, may not always serve our best interests in fostering a culture of safety that emphasises learning, improvement, and shared responsibility.

Let's embark on a linguistic revolution in our workplaces, adopting terms that promote a proactive, positive, and participatory approach to safety.

Asking ‘why?’ about incidents several times and answering, ‘because … ’, inevitably leads to the answer, ‘culture’—the climate of practices, values, accountability and communications pervading in an organisation, summed up in the phrase, ‘the way we do things around here’.

Last week the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) released a damning report that exposed rampant and systematic sexual harassment and discrimination in the Victorian Police Force.

A confidential survey of 5,000 officers revealed alarming statistics showing that female police officers as well as gay and lesbian employees had experienced widespread harassment and gender inequality. The report stated that many victims felt pressured to remain silent due to fear of personal and professional repercussions.