Safety Culture is a term used to identify an overall approach to managing safety within an organization. Rather than being a set of rules or procedures, safety culture is an attitude or way of life that is practiced in all endeavors. In a total safety culture, employees not only feel responsible for their patients and their own safety, they feel responsible for their peers’ safety. For example, if EVERYONE in your dental office felt it was their responsibility to find opportunities for improvement with infection control procedures, chemical and radiation safety and ergonomics, it is very likely that the office would continually improve it’s overall safety record. In addition, studies have shown that companies demonstrating strong safety cultures also show improvements in performance, quality standards and staff morale.
