There is an ongoing debate whether incentives are being used as an addition to a well-designed safety program or being deployed in lieu of a comprehensive safety program. Incentives should enhance a functional safety program that contains such areas as: return-to-work (RTW), accident investigations, and safety committees.
Too often incentive programs target the wrong group of people. The vast majority of your people will work safely the majority of the time, with or without incentives. It may be surprising, but up to 25 percent of your people may need a constant reminder of how to work safely. Safety is and should be a full-time focus for everyone – all the time. This means that the comprehensive program should include a multi-leveled program. It becomes part of the culture, and everyone involved in the safety process participates including top management, supervisors, and employees.