Cultural Awareness, Safety, and Security: Models for effective OSH Implementation

In today’s globalised world, workplaces are increasingly diverse, with employees bringing varied cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and values. This diversity enriches organisations but also presents challenges, especially in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH).

Cultural awareness, safety, and security are no longer optional considerations but integral components of effective OSH management. To avoid simple platitudes and vague affirmations, I have drawn on insights from my professional endeavours, postgraduate research - some of which I’ve shared here - and 'lived experience', as my surname may otherwise suggest I'm not entirely "English" - this article attempts to explore practical models to integrate cultural considerations, and not tribalism, into OSH.

Why Cultural Awareness Matters in OSH

Cultural factors can significantly influence attitudes toward safety, risk perception, communication, and compliance with safety protocols. For example:

• Risk Perception: Some cultures may underestimate certain hazards due to societal norms or fatalistic beliefs.
• Communication Styles: Direct communication may be valued in one culture but perceived as confrontational in another, potentially leading to misunderstandings about safety protocols.
• Hierarchy and Authority: In high-power-distance cultures, employees may hesitate to challenge unsafe practices implemented by supervisors.

Ignoring these cultural dimensions can undermine safety measures, increase risks, and foster inequity, something that is not fair in a situation, in the workplace.

Avoiding the Hofstede approach

While Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Framework has been widely used to understand cultural differences, this model has other notable limitations aside from its lack of empirical evidence that underpins it. One significant is that it seemingly ignores the premise of the Sapir-Whorf principle - the empirical proposition that the language we speak influences how we perceive and construct reality. This oversight suggests that Hofstede’s framework does not fully capture the nuanced ways culture shapes thought and behaviour.

Those who reference Hofstede to discuss cultural diversity often assume that national culture is the primary or overriding influence on individuals' behaviour. This perspective is misleading. Every individual carries a multitude of intersecting identities, including gender, age, profession, family, religion, politics, social groups, and more. Relying on oversimplified frameworks like Hofstede's to explain cultural differences risks promoting stereotypes rather than fostering genuine understanding, and to its logical end, as frameworks which enable paternalistic neo-colonial approaches, where a "civilized" culture benevolently extends its influence into "less developed" ones, giving rise to nocuous policies, such as:

• Australia's Indigenous child-removal programme conducted between 1905-67 which was both systematic racial discrimination and genocide as defined by international law, and continued to be practised as official policy long after being prohibited by treaties to which Australia had voluntarily subscribed.
• Sweden's compulsory sterilization on eugenic, medical, and social grounds (which ended in 1976 but continued for those seeking gender reassignment until 2013)
• The Liverpool Constabulary in 1946 carried out orders from the British government to deport Chinese sailors in Merseyside, many of whom had travelled to England as part of the war effort. They were forcibly repatriated to China, many of whom were legally married to British citizens. The wives and children of the men believed they had been deserted. It wasn’t until the release of declassified records 50 years later that the truth was revealed.
• Canada’s Sixties Scoop, ran from the 1950s-80s, when indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families and placed into the care of non-Indigenous foster families or adopted, erasing their cultural identities.
• France’s La Creuse Migration Program, which ran from 1960s- 1980s, where thousands of children from Réunion, a French overseas territory, were forcibly relocated to rural areas in France to address labour shortages, often placed in exploitative conditions
• Magdalene Laundries, which was dominant in Ireland from the 18th-20th century, where institutions run by the Catholic Church confined women and girls deemed “fallen” or immoral, subjecting them to forced labour, abuse, and social stigma.
• Norwegian Sámi Assimilation Policies systematically suppressed Sámi language, culture, and identity through educational and religious policies intended to assimilate them into mainstream Norwegian culture.
• Switzerland’s Verdingkinder Policy which ran until the 1960s, where poor or orphaned children, often from marginalised communities like the Yenisch people, were taken from their families and placed with foster families, frequently subjected to abuse and exploitation.
• Forced Sterilization of Indigenous Women, in USA and Canada between 1960-70s, undertaken without informed consent as part of government eugenics and population control policies.
• Denmark’s Greenlandic "Experiment", where in 1951 Danish authorities forcibly relocated Inuit children from Greenland to Denmark, separating them from their families to "modernise" them, leading to lasting trauma and cultural disruption.
• The Windrush Scandal of 2018, which saw individuals who legally migrated to the UK from Caribbean Commonwealth nations between 1948 and 1973 wrongly treated as illegal immigrants -denied basic rights such as healthcare, employment, and housing. These are a few events in our contemporary western history.

It’s worth noting that facts don’t have feelings, so if you find this observation "woke," you are likely both easily offended and ill-equipped to handle opposing viewpoints - particularly when those viewpoints align with reality - making you the very snowflake you might accuse others of being. If that strikes a nerve, stop reading now; this article isn’t for you, nor will it change your mind.

The Role of Language

During the 14th to 18th centuries, many ordinary folk in the UK were multilingual, often speaking complex regional dialects or additional languages. However, the Industrial Revolution, with its focus on centralised labour and urbanisation, contributed to a decline in linguistic diversity and a narrowing of cultural horizons.

This trend contrasts sharply with many European countries today, where state policies foster multilingualism and cultural exchange. In nations like the Netherlands or Switzerland, the average person speaks multiple languages - a skill that enhances cultural understanding and global competitiveness.

By contrast, the UK often succumbs to a form of linguistic insularity, colloquially termed “biscuit-tin Britain,” where there is an expectation that everyone else should learn English. This attitude not only limits opportunities for cultural engagement but also reinforces stereotypes of dominance, symbolised by outdated notions of empire, which can essentially be refined to little more than girth, gout, and an unhealthy obsession with talking about "traditional values" which seemingly are things which have greatly contributed to their girth and gout.

Although tools like AI translations can address the linguistic nuances of text, they do not bridge the deeper cultural understanding that comes from learning a language. Language is culture. By learning even a little of another language, we gain insights into the values, traditions, and perspectives of the people who speak it. This equips OSH professionals to better support workers from diverse backgrounds.

Practical Models for Cultural Awareness in OSH

To address cultural diversity effectively, organisations can adopt models that prioritise engagement with cultural contexts and lived realities:

1. Cultural Safety Framework

• Approach: Originally developed in healthcare, this model focuses on creating environments where individuals feel respected and safe regardless of cultural differences.
• Application: Incorporate cultural safety principles into hazard assessments and employee consultations. For instance, ensure that PPE/workwear designs consider cultural and religious attire requirements.

2. Participatory Approach to OSH

• Approach: Engage directly with employees and community members to co-develop safety protocols and interventions.
• Application: Conduct workshops or focus groups where employees can share their perspectives on safety challenges and propose culturally relevant solutions.

3. Contextual Communication Strategies

• Approach: Recognise that literal translations often fall short. Instead, develop safety materials in consultation with native speakers who understand the cultural connotations of language.
• Application: Use storytelling and culturally familiar analogies to explain safety concepts, making them more relatable and impactful.

4. Behaviour-Based Safety (BBS) with Cultural Sensitivity

• Approach: BBS emphasizes observing and reinforcing safe behaviours. Integrating cultural sensitivity ensures that the reinforcement strategies resonate with diverse employees.
• Application: Use culturally relevant examples and symbols in behaviour reinforcement programs to foster greater engagement.

Strategies for Building Cultural Awareness in OSH

The following strategies will help build in cultural awareness.:

1. Community Immersion: Spend time engaging with the community to understand their unique cultural values and challenges.
2. Cultural Competency Training: Regular training sessions for both management and employees to build an understanding of cultural differences and their impact on safety practices.
3. Inclusive Policy Development: Engage diverse employees in drafting safety policies to ensure cultural considerations are addressed.
4. Language Learning Initiatives: Encourage management and OSH professionals to learn basic phrases or concepts in the languages spoken by their workforce.
5. Continuous Feedback Mechanisms: Establish channels for employees to voice safety concerns without fear of judgment or reprisal

A Call to Action

Cultural awareness, safety, and security in OSH are not just ethical imperatives but practical necessities. By adopting culturally informed models and strategies, organisations can foster safer, more inclusive workplaces. As OSH professionals, it is our responsibility to lead this charge, ensuring that every employee - regardless of their background - feels valued and protected.

Let’s work together to build workplaces where safety is universal, and diversity is celebrated. What are your thoughts on integrating cultural awareness into OSH? Share your experiences, what languages you are learning, and ideas in the comments!

Recommended Reading and Resources

For those interested in exploring this topic further, consider the following. I've included a wealth of information, including some historical context that might initially seem less engaging. However, if you're one of the readers I mentioned at the beginning - those hesitant to dive into the article but still curious enough to get this far - you might find it worthwhile to embrace a bit more history rather than just knowing the price of smoked ham in 1938

Books and Articles:

• The Culture Map by Erin Meyer - https://erinmeyer.com/book/
• Safety Differently by Sidney Dekker - https://safetydifferently.com/
• Cultural Safety, Healthcare and Vulnerable Populations: A Critical Theoretical Perspective - https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Cultural_Safety_Healthcare_and_Vulnerabl/b2JgDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT8&printsec=frontcover
• The Culture Map - Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business - https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Culture_Map/np85DgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
• Cultural Encounters as Intervention Practices - https://www.routledge.com/Cultural-Encounters-as-Intervention-Practices/Christiansen-Galal-Hvenegaard-Lassen/p/book/9780367584405?srsltid=AfmBOoqN77Es3Wmz8_t7LBIpC0OMz-xDOeGHjOpgrNsMeCPKUpXehF1_
• Mind the Inclusion Gap: How allies can bridge the divide between talking diversity and taking action - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63906317-mind-the-inclusion-gap
• Identity Politics and Tribalism - The New Culture Wars - https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Identity_Politics_and_Tribalism/X9k2EAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
• Cultural Safety in Trauma-Informed Practice from a First Nations Perspective - https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-13138-7
• Introduction to Aboriginal Health and Health Care in Canada - https://connect.springerpub.com/content/book/978-0-8261-1799-1/part/part01/chapter/ch03
• Multilingualism in Early Medieval Britain (Elements in England in the Early Medieval World) - https://www.amazon.com/Multilingualism-Medieval-Britain-Elements-England/dp/1009275852
• Multilingualism in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Age: Communication and Miscommunication in the Premodern World (Fundamentals of Medieval and Early Modern Culture, 17) - https://www.amazon.com/Multilingualism-Middle-Ages-Early-Modern/dp/3110470969
• Language education policy in England. Is English the elephant in the room? Apples - Journal of Applied Language Studies, Vol. 5, 3 , 2011, 63-78 - https://apples.journal.fi/article/download/97828/55841/166399
• Foreign language education policies at secondary school level in England and Germany: an international comparison - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09571736.2022.2044372
• Multilingualism in Early Medieval Britain - https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/multilingualism-in-early-medieval-britain/A3D0FFBAB9D340FD7CA9E9B12C953FB1
• Multilingualism in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Age: The Literary-Historical Evidence - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257631430_Multilingualism_in_the_Middle_Ages_and_the_Early_Modern_Age_The_Literary-Historical_Evidence
• Language teaching in schools (England) - https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7388/
• A Whiff of Multilingualism in Medieval England - https://anglo-norman.net/a-whiff-of-multilingualism-in-medieval-england/
• England and Multilingualism: Medieval and Modern - https://www.academia.edu/3538873/England_and_Multilingualism_Medieval_and_Modern
• Brexit Blamed for England’s Drop in Language Learning - https://www.languagemagazine.com/2018/06/28/brexit-blamed-for-englands-drop-in-language-learning/
• Conceptualizing Multilingualism in England, c.800-c.1250 - https://www.brepols.net/products/IS-9782503528564-1
• Countries in which English Language is a Mandatory or an Optional Subject (interactive) - https://www.uwinnipeg.ca/global-english-education/countries-in-which-english-is-mandatory-or-optional-subject.html

Other Cultural Safety Resources:

• TUC - Equality and Discrimination - Guidance on promoting equality and preventing discrimination.
• OSHA - Diversity in Safety - Resources highlighting the importance of diversity in safety.
• Safe Work Australia - Guide for safe workplaces with cultural considerations.
• MHLW Japan - Industrial Safety - Japan’s approach to industrial safety.
• DOSH Nepal - OSH Profile - Insights into Nepal's OSH landscape.
• DGFASLI India - Resources reflecting India’s cultural OSH considerations.
• WorkSafe New Zealand - Culturally informed workplace safety strategies for Māori communities.
• Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage and Sami Parliament Norway - Resources on workplace safety initiatives involving the Sami.
• Swedish Sámi Parliament - Initiatives supporting Sami cultural and occupational safety.
• Muslim Council of Britain - Workplace Guidelines - Safety and inclusivity for Muslim workers.
• OSH India - Cultural Safety Practices - Safety measures accommodating Hindu workers’ needs and cultural considerations.
• EU OSHA - Migrant Workers - Comprehensive guidance on safety for migrant workers from Central and Eastern Europe.
• HSE UK - Protecting Migrant Workers - Strategies for creating safe workplaces for diverse cultural groups.