What is a Safety Mission Statement?

A safety mission statement is a specialized type of organizational mission statement that focuses on the health and safety of those who are employed or associated with that organization while they are in the process of participating in activities on behalf of that organization. As with most examples of a mission statement, this particular type of document is usually short and to the point, providing a general idea of the safety goals of the organization, and some insight into the broad strategies that will be used to ensure that safety. The specifics of how a safety mission statement will be implemented and maintained is typically covered in more detail in other official documents issued by the organization.

The exact form of this mission statement will vary somewhat, depending on the type of organization involved and the nature of safety concerns that are relevant to the operation of that organization. For example, a business mission statement on safety is likely to include covenants relating to the maintenance of the physical facility where goods and services are produced, as well as effectively managing employee access to hazardous materials or heavy machinery.

Just about every type of safety mission statement will include a covenant to observe governmental safety regulations that are in force in the areas where the organization has a physical presence. Along with recognizing the existence of those governmental regulations, the statement is also likely to also promise to make use of the most current safety policies and procedures that are relevant to the industry associated with the business entity. This helps to convey the fact that the company not only intends to observe the minimum safety and health standards required by local and national laws, but also to go above and beyond those and implement procedures that are in compliance with current industry standards.

As with any type of mission statement, a safety mission statement is subject to review and restructuring from time to time. The document may be modified to address changes in local safety regulations, new safety standards within an industry, or simply to correct a previously unidentified area of concern that company officials believe is important to address within the text. For this reason, many companies make it a point to review the safety mission statement every three to five years, with some businesses choosing to conduct a review more frequently, such as on an annual or bi-annual basis.