Small Talk....with Lauren Meldrum
Why do you work in Health and Safety?
I want to make a positive impact. Working in health and safety gives me the opportunity to impact so many people, not just the workers, contractors and visitors, but also their families. I cannot think of anything more rewarding than that.
What do you see for the future of the health and safety profession?
Mental health is such a vast area and we are really on just starting to scratch the surface, this is definitely going to be a focus area for a while. As someone who lives with a mental illness, I am quite passionate about removing the stigma and educating people about mental illness and helping to equip people with the skills to identify the warning signs and start a conversation.
What is an initiative you have been a part of or seen that you think really impacted safety culture?
I think the ‘process’ rather than individual initiatives have the biggest impact on safety culture. Involving every level of the organisation from top management to the apprentice is key, ask for their input, actively listen to what they have to say and when you make a final decision it is crucial to explain WHY & WHY NOT. Helping everyone to understand the reasons why you have made that decision and why you did not pick the other suggestions will show them you have listened and considered their input. This should reinforce that you value their opinion whilst also gaining their buy-in on your final decision.
