Workplace Safety Culture: 8 Practical Steps for Electrical Contractors

All too often, work health and safety is something that is easily pushed to the bottom of the list. But what if there were simple steps you could take today that not only protected you and your team physically, but mentally?

We spoke to Therese Ravell, Director at Impact HR, who has guided small to medium-sized business owners though that very question for more than 20 years. Here she shares her eight top tips to arm tradie founders with the tools they need to build a safe workplace culture from the ground up.

What is workplace safety culture?

Workplace safety culture refers to the habits, behaviours and systems that shape how safety is managed and prioritised in a business.

Rather than treating safety as a response to incidents, a strong workplace safety culture builds safe practices into everyday work routines. This includes physical safety measures, communication processes and mental wellbeing support for workers.

Key takeaways for electrical contractors

• Build workplace safety habits into daily operations from day one.
• Use toolbox talks to improve communication and clarify responsibilities.
• Encourage workers to identify risks and raise concerns on-site.
• Support both physical and psychological wellbeing in the workplace.
• Create systems for reporting and tracking safety issues before they escalate.

Tip 1: Make workplace safety a daily habit

Teresa says, “Firstly, workplace health and safety needs to be prioritised from day one – not something that gets dropped into conversations after there’s been an incident. This is not a bandaid, this is an integral part of your work culture. To ensure this happens, business owners need to make safety a habit in the workplace. Humans love habits, so when we build them into how we work with our employees, the wider team gets to know and accept this as a normal part of work life.”

Here’s how you do it…

Tip 2: Host toolbox talks

“Every time you start a new job, hold a safety briefing right at the beginning – this is commonly known as a toolbox talk. It doesn’t need to be long and complex, just an open conversation that covers off what needs to be done, who’s going to do what and how they’re going to do it. This ensures everyone understands their role from the outset, while also checking off the tools needed to complete the work safely.”

Tip 3: Assess every new site

“As part of the toolbox talk, give the team five minutes to stop, look around and flag what they see. Is there anything to be concerned about? Anything to be rectified? This encourages your employees to think for themselves and keeps communication open. Assign someone the role of notetaker and ask the question loud and clear: what do we need to cover off so we’re all safe?”

Tip 4: Stretch!

“This one gets a lot of push back, but it’s not like I’m asking you to do a group yoga class. Just add a few gentle stretches at the end of the morning’s talk to warm the body up before you get started. Since encouraging the tradies I work with to build this in as part of their daily safety routine, we’ve seen fewer back and shoulder injuries, and ultimately fewer workers’ compensation claims.”

Tip 5: Share the load

“When I’m working with growing entrepreneurs, business owners who are going from ‘me to we’, it’s really important to get your employees talking about safety in the same way as the founder. A good way to do this is to encourage other team members to host the day’s toolbox talk to reinforce the habit and share the load. This could cover things like checking your uniforms and equipment, a reminder on how to lift heavy loads safely and generally reinforce that you’re there to work as a team.”

Tip 6: Sign off safely at the end of the day

“Before you and the team clock off for the day, take the time to flag anything that’s damaged or may create a safety risk later. These are the types of things that get missed when everyone’s eager to head home. So drop any concerns into a shared business app or team WhatsApp chat so they can be tracked in real time and actioned before the problem escalates. This is once again about creating habits and patterns in the workplace that become non-negotiables.”

Tip 7: Protect your mind

“Thirty-four per-cent of small to medium-sized business owners identify as having a mental health issue of some description, including stress, anxiety or even depression. What’s more, in 2023, WHS expanded to include not just physical but also psychological hazards – that means business owners are now legally required to take care of their employees’ mental wellbeing too. This can be a big ask when they’re struggling with their own.

“This is why sharing the load, as mentioned above, is so important, along with building habits outside of the workplace that calm the mind. For some people this could be as simple as walking the dog daily, cooking a meal from scratch or going surfing at 6am. Whatever the case, find your thing and build it into your weekly plan.

Tip 8: Look for the changes

“In Australia, we’re fortunate that keeping an eye on our mates is embedded into our culture through initiatives like R U OK? Day. But it’s important to keep that mindset all year round, too. Look for any small changes in your workmates – maybe they stop joining you for after work drinks on a Friday, or start turning up to work at 8am when they’ve been a 6am regular for months.

“These are signs that things might not be quite right – so check in on your colleagues and ask how they’re going. But also remember you’re not expected to be the person who solves the problem. Have a few phone numbers and websites on hand, like Black Dog Institute or Beyond Blue, and tell them that you’re not an expert, you don’t have all the answers, but you’re here for them and they don’t have to do this alone.”

Frequently asked questions about workplace safety culture

What is a toolbox talk?

A toolbox talk is a short workplace safety discussion held before starting a job. It covers work responsibilities, safety procedures and potential site risks.

Why is workplace safety culture important for electrical contractors?

A strong workplace safety culture helps create consistent safety habits, improves communication and reduces the risk of workplace incidents and injuries.

How can contractors encourage workers to report safety concerns?

Contractors can encourage open communication by involving workers in site assessments, assigning note-taking responsibilities and using shared apps or messaging groups to track issues.

Does workplace health and safety include mental health?

Yes. Ravell notes that workplace health and safety requirements expanded in 2023 to include psychological hazards as well as physical hazards.

What should contractors do if they notice changes in a worker’s behaviour?

Ravell recommends checking in with workers, asking how they are going and directing them towards professional support services if needed.

What electrical contractors need to remember

Building a strong workplace safety culture requires consistency, communication and shared responsibility.

For electrical contractors and tradie business owners, simple daily habits such as toolbox talks, site assessments, end-of-day reporting and mental health check-ins can help create safer workplaces for the whole team.

Encouraging workers to actively participate in safety conversations also helps reinforce accountability and strengthen workplace culture over time.

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