If you’re a project manager, you should always think about safety. It’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about managing a project, and it must be a priority in every part of the project. You should always put safety first.
Managing Projects Also Includes Managing and Preventing Risks
In its infancy, a project was only a single task to be completed. Later, it evolved into something that could be a part of a bigger picture. Now it is a whole process that involves many different tasks. This process is known as Project Management and is followed by everyone from PhDs to CEOs. It is a great way to organise a company and its work to create a good and effective result.
Since project management is all about managing and monitoring projects (work, programs, activities, tasks, etc.), the people involved in managing these projects should also understand and be able to manage the risks involved. Projects, in general, have inherent risks and it’s important that we understand integrated risk management as part of this. However, having a formal process in place to manage and mitigate these risks can be a huge help to managers and everyone involved in the project.
Safety is something that is often neglected by project managers, or at least by those who don’t understand the complexities of managing a project. But there are huge benefits that a well-managed safety process should be gained as part of a project management function.
Safety Management as Part of the Role
Safety management means the continual assessment, improvement, and control of the safety of a process or system. It is not just about maintaining a first aid kit and providing first aid training to the employees, but it is the systematic application of risk management techniques and concepts to identify, monitor, analyse, and control risks associated with a process or system. It is the management of risks to ensure the continuous delivery of a service or product that fulfils the need or demands of its users.
Why should safety management be a part of the project management role? Well, it is the process of managing risks to provide a safe service or complete a project. With that, here are the following reasons why safety should always be prioritised in any project:
- Safety can affect the entire project’s schedule, cost, and scope. Safety is also a key factor in every project’s safety management. An effective safety plan must cover risk management and employee training and ensure that the right safety equipment and materials are available. Safety programs that incorporate these elements and that are linked to the project’s safety management will help to ensure that all the project’s objectives are met. Superiors can make sure that every employee meets safety standards and protocols by training them thoroughly. Utilize business tools such as LMS, screen recording tools like Loom (https://www.loom.com/blog/how-to-screen-record-mac), and other essential employee coaching solutions to get the remote learning successful.
- Reduce potential liability. It is important to have a safety management system in place to identify and mitigate the risks that may harm the output of the project. Doing so will help minimise potential liability as well as reduce the risk of legal proceedings.
- Safety is a vital part of running a successful business. Safety cannot be a secondary focus. It cannot be a good idea to increase production without an assurance that the production line will not lead to any safety hazards or accidents. Safety management must be at the heart of every project to make sure the project is completed without any incidents.
- Reduce overall costs for the company. Whether in the construction industry, manufacturing, or any other industry, one of the most crucial aspects of any business is the ability to meet deadlines, make sure the job gets done, and earn money. That’s why a strong safety management program can make all the difference in the world. If a company can reduce its costs by implementing a safety management program, it can do a lot more with the same amount of money. In turn, this can lead to a return on investment that the company can enjoy. That said, you can take additional steps such as obtaining workers compensation insurance, training them to use equipment in the right way, and so on (click here to view other such measures). Becoming proactive by taking these measures can ensure employee safety.
Safety management is an important aspect of any project, and it is often the key to success or failure for any project. This is especially true for telecommunication and IT projects because of the high risks involved. You could have the best project plan globally, but if it lacks a solid safety management strategy, it will not be worth much. Suppose a project leader is not willing to take the time to learn the basic strategies to help improve the overall quality of their projects. In that case, it will be very difficult to establish a successful project.