Psychological Safety: The Invisible Foundation of a Strong EHS Culture

What Is Psychological Safety (and Why Should We Care?)

In the world of Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS), we often focus on visible safety measures: hard hats, safety protocols, emergency procedures, and compliance metrics. But there's an invisible yet critical component that can make or break your safety culture: psychological safety.

Psychological safety is the belief that one can speak up, take interpersonal risks, and make mistakes without fear of punishment or humiliation. It’s not about being “nice” - it’s about trust, accountability, and open dialogue.

In high-risk industries and environments, psychological safety is foundational to a strong safety culture. Workers are more likely to report near misses, unsafe conditions, or mental health concerns when they feel safe to speak up.

In practical terms, psychological safety means your team members feel comfortable saying:

• "I don't understand this procedure"
• "I made an error"
• "I'm concerned about this practice"

without worrying about negative consequences to their reputation, career, or relationships.

A psychologically safe team is not only more engaged and resilient, but also more effective in both physical and mental safety performance.

Our Role: Creating a Culture Where it’s Safe to Speak Up

As EHS professionals, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to champion psychological safety across our organisations. Our position allows us to influence culture at multiple levels, from frontline workers to senior leadership.

• Model psychological safety through active listening, non-judgmental feedback, and inclusive language.
• Normalize open reporting of errors, hazards, and health concerns especially stress, burnout, or trauma.
• Influence line managers and leadership to prioritize psychological safety in policies, toolbox talks, and training programs.
• Promote response with curiosity over blame, helping shift the question from “Who caused this?” to “What systems allowed this to happen?”

Spotting the Unseen: Tackling Psychological Hazards

Psychological hazards include:

• Excessive workload
• Unrealistic deadlines
• Poor communication
• Bullying
• Harassment
• Lack of role clarity
• Job insecurity

Unlike physical hazards, these risks are often “invisible” - harder to see, harder to quantify, and easier to ignore. When left unaddressed, they contribute to increased stress, burnout, absenteeism, and even accidents.

Frameworks like the HSE Management Standards and ISO 45003 provide structure for identifying, assessing, and managing psychosocial risks. EHS professionals can play a key role by:

• Partnering with HR, OH, and leadership teams to integrate these assessments into wider safety and wellbeing strategies.
• Embedding regular check-ins, confidential feedback channels, training for managers in trauma-informed, empathetic supervision to identify risks early and respond proactively.

You’re Closer than you Think: Building on What Exists

You don’t need to start from scratch. Psychological safety can and should be integrated into your current programs.

• Make psychological safety part of existing safety conversations e.g., daily briefings, incident debriefs, and audits.
• Include questions around psychological risk and culture in routine inspections and surveys.
• Position mental health and wellbeing as core safety issues, not “extras.”
• Link near-miss reporting and hazard identification to a culture of speaking up.
• Integrate ISO 45003 principles into your existing ISO 45001 framework.

How Do You Know It’s Working? Signs to Look For

What gets measured gets managed. While psychological safety is often considered “soft,” there are clear ways to assess it:

• Use anonymous pulse surveys and psychological safety scales (e.g., Edmondson’s model).
• Track incident reporting rates, absenteeism, turnover, and grievances as indirect indicators.
• Encourage regular team health checks (ask employees how safe they feel to speak up).
• Use qualitative data too (listen to stories, not just stats).

From Talk to Action: Building Trust that Sticks

Trust isn't built overnight—but it can be nurtured with consistent, intentional actions:

• Promote “no blame” post-incident reviews - focus on learning, not fault.
• Encourage leaders to admit mistakes and invite feedback (vulnerability builds trust).
• Offer peer support, EAPs, mental health first aiders, and quiet reporting channels. Sometimes EAPs offerings are not enough, specialist support may be needed.
• Celebrate people who speak up, don’t just reward output, reward integrity and courage.
• Recognise that psychological safety is dynamic, it requires continuous reinforcement.

Why it All Matters – and What Comes Next

Creating a truly safe workplace means going beyond hard hats and hazard signs—it means ensuring your people feel heard, respected, and safe to speak up. As EHS professionals, embedding psychological safety into our work isn’t just good practice—it’s essential for the health, safety, and performance of our teams.

Let’s move from checking boxes to building cultures. Because when your people feel safe to speak, your entire safety program becomes stronger.

Questions? Our team is here to help!