I am glad that I work in a safe work place, and to that extent there is a culture of safety. Because it is a healthcare setting, this culture of safety is cultivated through training, the raising of awareness regarding potential safety concerns and it is reinforced by a primary focus on patient health.
Specific examples of the steps taken to encourage and reinforce this culture of safety are posters which describe the importance of and the steps to be taken to avoid safety risks. These are typically placed in areas which are close to the areas where the practice is the most common, such as handwashing safety instructions above the sinks in practice areas. Another example is the lifting techniques to be used, whether the item to be lifted is a box of supplies or a patient who requires repositioning. The poster describes the potential risks of musculoskeletal injury to ensure that the importance of the safety practice is understood, and then provides illustrated step by step instructions on the steps to be taken, and what should be avoided in lifting technique.

Promotion of a culture of safety does not just occur with one way communications such as posters, it is also present in formal and informal staff meetings as well as interactions between staff and with patients. Patients usually do not have the same level of awareness or training, and so it is healthcare staff that provides education and reminders to ensure that safety practice are followed by this group, for their safety as well as staff.

I would feel very comfortable reporting an error or near miss in my workplace with regard to safety measures, as I know that doing so helps to keep myself, my colleagues and patients safe. Because of the nature of the work, which often requires incident reporting, there is no anonymous reporting, however such communications are not only encouraged they are quite often mandatory.