On paper, your safety record is spotless. Not a single reported incident. Sounds like a win. But is it?
Every leader loves the sound of it: zero injuries, zero near-misses, zero problems. It feels like confirmation that the systems are working. That the culture is strong. That people are safe. But there’s a harder question to ask: is the absence of reports actually proof of safety—or just the absence of trust? When nobody’s raising concerns, it doesn’t mean the concerns are gone. It could mean your people have stopped believing anyone’s listening.
A Culture of Silence
Why don’t people speak up? It’s not complicated. They’ve seen what happens when others do. Maybe a teammate was ignored. Maybe a supervisor rolled their eyes. Maybe a worker brought up an issue in good faith—only to be quietly labeled a problem. Or maybe it’s subtler: a team that rushes through toolbox talks. A manager who praises the “quiet” crews. An unspoken rule that the easiest way to stay on the good side of leadership is to keep your head down and your mouth shut.
These aren’t just bad habits. They’re barriers to safety. And they’re exactly what keep hazards hidden.
You Don’t Fix What You Don’t See
The irony is painful: we build systems to track risk, then punish the very behavior that surfaces it. We say we want proactive reporting, but celebrate silence. We chase zero incidents while missing the slow drift into complacency. Real safety culture isn’t about being flawless—it’s about being honest. It means creating a workplace where people feel secure saying, “This isn’t right.” And where leaders don’t just listen—they act.
Carolynne Heron once pointed out that true safety comes from shared understanding. It’s not just top-down—it’s everyone, all in.
Look Ahead, Not Just Behind
The safest organizations aren’t the ones with the cleanest reports. They’re the ones with the most curiosity. The ones tracking signs before something breaks. Conversations during walkarounds. Unofficial warnings during job setup. The quiet insights you only get from people who trust you enough to tell the truth. Wes Rundle called it out clearly: when safety is part of the culture, people speak up because they care—not because they were told to.
The Shift That Matters
Want better data? Start with better dialogue. Build systems that reward vulnerability, not compliance. Make feedback normal, not rare. Give your team a reason to believe their voice actually matters. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s presence. It’s being aware of what’s real, not just what’s recorded.
Here’s the Bottom Line
A zero-incident record might look great in a binder. But it won’t keep anyone safe if it came at the cost of truth. So ask yourself: are we celebrating silence—or building something stronger? You can’t lead what you can’t see. And you can’t fix what no one’s telling you about.
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