What Does Risk-Ready Culture Look Like?

Policies and procedures should absolutely be part of every school's workplace safety program. But genuine efforts to protect employees must be built on more than ivory tower decrees like “employees shall” and “up to and including termination.” Workplace safety resonates when it becomes embedded in an organization’s culture.

We'll share insider's tips for building a strong a safety culture during the Members' Conference 2026 educational session titled "What Does Risk-Ready Culture Look Like." Save your spot for the conference now! In the meantime, here's a primer to get you started.

Key Traits of a Strong Risk Culture

Think of risk culture as the things employees do (and don't do) when nobody's watching. Every organization is unique, but a few traits are common in strong risk cultures:

Awareness

Employees understand potential risks in their roles. In-service training sets the foundation, and regularly scheduled refresher training keeps safety top of mind.

Accountability

Everyone takes ownership for safety and compliance. We're not just talking about taking ownership of their own safety. Employees are also accountable for each other's safety.

Communication

Concerns are reported early and addressed constructively. Everyone feels empowered to report hazards and unsafe behaviors.

Leadership

Front-line supervisors are in the best position to promote safety and foster a strong culture. Leading by example means modeling safe behavior, following up with employees who report hazards, committing time for safety training, and make it clear that safety is a value employees should never compromise.

Continuous Improvement

Every time you hire new people, buy new equipment, or implement new processes, you could introduce new risk. You should constantly evaluate and adjust your safety program to keep it current and comprehensive.

Putting it All Together

Awareness, accountability, communication, leadership, and continuous improvement are the building blocks of a risk-ready culture. But what do they look like as they play out across your district?

Classroom

Slips, trips, and falls are the leading cause of workplace injuries reported by Fund members. Some injuries involved teachers standing on chairs or furniture to decorate classrooms. In a risk-ready, culture, teachers take time to get a ladder that's in good working condition. 

Business Office

Employees know about fraudulent instruction scams, where cybercriminals impersonate vendors and request that payments be redirected to fraudulent accounts. To protect district funds, employees independently verify account change requests. 

Attention Fund members with Cyber Liability and Security coverage: Independent verification is a coverage requirement. Learn more.

Maintenance

Employees use personal protective equipment such as hard hats consistently. They also recognize, however, that PPE is no substitute for safe behavior.

Transportation

Drivers perform daily inspections and report issues early during a typical school day.

Learn More at Members' Conference

We'll dig deeper into safety culture at Fund Members' Conference, so save your spot now and plan to join your peers Until then, consider this question: What small step could you take tomorrow to strengthen risk awareness?