By Bill Sims Jr.

"We don't need to reward safe performance. We give people a paycheck and they deserve nothing more for working safely."

If it is true that no deserves a bonus in return for doing what is expected of them, then why are almost all Fortune 500 chief executive officers given year end bonuses based on company performance? Why is it fair to reward them for good performance while ignoring the contributions made by the thousands of hourly people below them?

"Rewards do not effect the attitudes that underlie unsafe behavior. They merely cause employees not to report injury."

Actually, many incentive programs now reward employees for reporting injuries. Employees are recognized and rewarded for reporting and correcting unsafe acts and conditions before injuries can occur. Other popular incentive only offer incentives for taking pro-active safety steps, such as attending safety meetings, passing safety inspections, and other things.