National Safety Council News Release, April 27, 2001

              
THE POWER OF *AUTHENTIC INVOLVEMENT*
IS DEFINED IN A NEW BOOK FROM NSC PRESS 

Itasca, Ill. --  The National Safety Council¢s NSC Press announces the publication of Authentic Involvement, written by renowned safety professional Dan Petersen. Petersen offers a powerful new philosophy in safety: authentic involvement. *Petersen believes that safety is not a resource, an influence, a program or a procedure; rather, it¢s an atmosphere that must become an integral part of every procedure within a company,* said Jodey B. Schonfeld, publisher, NSC Press. 

Petersen believes that the philosophy of Authentic Involvement goes beyond behavior-based safety to the involvement and empowerment of the employee in the safety process. *In contrast to the behavior-based approach, which encourages peer observations and the correction of unsafe behaviors, authentic involvement seeks to empower the employee while making management¢s efforts more visible. By promoting the responsibilities, achievements, and recognition of the employee, management creates a positive perception of safety involvement. When management has greater participation and accountability, and promotes a culture of authentic involvement by the worker, employees are motivated to work toward greater safety,* said Petersen.

Real, authentic involvement is based upon worker participation, where the worker engages in activities that satisfy that person¢s human needs, and thus become a motivating factor for him or her, according to Petersen. *Every person¢s needs are different, but most people respond to being treated as an equal, not a subordinate; being able to use their innate intelligence and skills every day; being given responsibility and the expectation of achievement; and being recognized for doing a good job,* he stated. *So in a positive safety culture, the worker hears management say ¡we want and need your help to achieve safety¢ and the worker responds to that by sharing responsibility for safety, thus becoming empowered to make positive achievements in safety.* 

This is what Petersen means by built-in or integrated safety. *It¢s the only brand of safety that¢s permanently effective. This approach has withstood the test of time; it¢s based on fundamental principles of the safety movement,* said Petersen. *Authentic involvement promotes and recognizes both management¢s efforts and the achievements of the employee. This degree of involvement results in greater staying power of the safety process, with or without change in the organizational structure.*

Because Authentic Involvement discusses the theories behind safety programs, it is best utilized in conjunction with the NSC Press series Accident Prevention Manual for Business & Industry: Administration & Programs, Engineering & Technology, and Environmental Management. These three manuals give the reader the details of how to establish safety procedures and programs that will thrive in the culture of authentic involvement.