Occupational Health and Safety at Work: How to Create Support?

Is BHV taken seriously enough within your organization? Or does it remain a subject that most colleagues are not really enthusiastic about?

More support for BHV increases the attention and involvement in safety within your organization. Employees signal risks earlier, act more confidently and thus contribute more actively to a safe workplace.

In this blog you will find practical tips to increase the support for BHV. From involving employees and making BHV visible, to appreciating safe behavior and using smart tools.

Involvement starts with allowing people to think along

Support is not created by rules from above, but by giving space. Employees often know very well what is happening on the work floor, what risks they encounter and what can be improved. Give them a voice. Organize a low-threshold consultation or let people provide input after a evacuation exercise. Or use a suggestion box – physical or digital – where everyone can share improvement suggestions.

By actively involving employees in BHV measures, they feel co-responsible. And that is exactly what you need.

Make BHV recognizable and visible

Support grows when BHV is not something abstract, but a familiar part of the workplace. Make sure that everyone knows who the BHV'ers are. This can be done with an overview at the entrance or in the canteen, but also with a short introduction of new BHV'ers on the intranet. Small actions, big effect: it lowers the threshold and increases trust.

Reward safe behavior – no matter how small

People who take initiative deserve appreciation. Has someone noticed that an emergency exit is blocked? Suggested a good idea for an exercise? Express your appreciation. A compliment in the team meeting or a small thank you makes a big difference. You show that alertness pays off. And that encourages others to take responsibility too.

Put safety on the agenda regularly

Safety lives when you make it visible in practice. Put BHV and safety on the agenda of a work meeting every now and then, or organize a short session in which colleagues can practice with a fire blanket or resuscitation doll. Keep it accessible and practical. In this way, BHV becomes something that is part of the job - not a separate project, but part of the work culture.

Show that BHV works

Support grows when people see what BHV delivers. Share what went well during an exercise or how quickly an BHV'er acted in a minor incident. Use examples to show: this is why we do it. The more concrete and human the story, the better it will stick.

Smart use of technology: BHV button

The BHV Button is hard to miss: visible on the wall, clear in shape and easy to use. Employees know where to go in case of emergency and can see at a glance which of the BHV'ers is present. With one push of the button, all present BHV'ers are automatically alerted and can communicate directly to act quickly and efficiently. A smart system that does what is needed - without fuss, exactly when it counts.