Responding is Mandy Marxen, commercial marketing manager, U.S. Chemical Storage, Wilkesboro, NC.
A 2024 survey from Vector Solutions found that 83% of workers thought their organization’s safety protocols were more about checking boxes than being specific to their well-being. If safety is a priority for a company – as the majority says – it should permeate every workstation and every office in the business.
Most manufacturers that use and handle chemicals should already have strict safety protocols surrounding their storage, transport, use and disposal. However, true safety culture integrates many of the same practices across all levels of the organization. These five basic safety tenets are common to chemical safety on the floor, as well as among office personnel off the floor.
1. Communication
Effective communication allows chemical hazards, handling procedures and emergency protocols to be understood by everyone. On the manufacturing floor, this is common and includes visible signage, ongoing safety programs and real-time instructions during operations.
In office environments, it translates to digital alerts on important industry markers and codes, updates to standard operating procedures, interdepartmental updates, and training reminders. Communication between office teams and manufacturing floor teams shows the importance of safety throughout the organization.
2. Reporting
Chemical incident reporting is a critical action. Floor operators are often familiar with reporting spills, process failures or unsafe handling practices and have firm processes in place to do so.
Office teams can also take a more active role in safety. For example, at U.S. Chemical Storage, office personnel make monthly “safety walks.” Spotting opportunities on the floor and in the office environment for signage, spill management, and trip and fall hazards makes safety a true team effort.
3. Labeling
On the floor, clear labeling ensures workers correctly identify chemical hazards to better segregate risks and follow safe handling instructions.
In office settings, maintaining accurate Safety Data Sheet libraries and enforcing consistent naming conventions, color coding and pictograms throughout the receiving-to-use process helps reduce human error and promote consistency.
4. Audits and inspections
Audits confirm that safety protocols are being followed consistently. Manufacturing audits focus on personal protective equipment use, spill containment, proper storage and operational compliance.
Finance departments are familiar with audit processes, but other office departments may not be.
Sales, marketing, customer service and related departments benefit from updating their own SOPs to ensure continuity throughout departmental changes and prevent gaps in processes.
5. Leadership modeling
Safety culture begins at the top.
When supervisors, managers and executives actively prioritize safety – through their own participation in drills, team communication and recognition of safe behavior – employees across the organization mirror those practices.
Leadership modeling should reinforce the importance of safety decisions, making it clear that compliance isn’t optional and that both floor-level and office personnel share responsibility for maintaining a safe workplace for every individual, not just for profit.
In conclusion
A unified safety culture is the responsibility of every employee and protects each one regardless of where their workstation is located.
A five-pronged approach protects assets while prioritizing a workplace where safety is embedded into every operational and administrative employee.
Editor’s note: This article represents the independent views of the author and should not be considered a National Safety Council endorsement.
