Safety is a Value - Not a Priority

Safety as a Priority or a Value - What Message Are You Sending?

Everyone has seen company literature and websites that tout safety as their first priority. Whereas I acknowledge their intentions and applaud the effort, I think they are missing the point. 

A "priority" is defined as "a thing that is regarded as more important that another". A "value" is defined as "a person's principles or standards of behavior, one's judgement of what is important in life". It seems clear to me that priorities are important, but not the most important. In fact, priorities have a tendency to change according to what is important or urgent at the moment. 

Values are enduring, heart-felt beliefs that shape and color our view of the world and temper our behavior. Our character and values are the things that separates us from others. If we are expected to act safely on a consistent basis, there has to be more than a momentary shift in priority, or a specific set of circumstances to underwrite the effort.

Does your company define safety as a priority or a value? It may be useful to explore what you believe about safety and how it is messaged to reflect that belief.