Operations and Safety: The Disconnect

“Don’t ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.” -Joseph Joubert

On a busy afternoon, maintenance flagged a small leak on a piece of equipment, nothing urgent, but something that required a shutdown to fix properly. Operations pushed back. So, a temporary workaround was put in place, extra checks were added, and the issue was logged.

Over the next few days, the workaround became the norm. Operators kept things running, relying on vigilance instead of resolution. The leak never turned into a major incident—but it didn’t have to. The real risk was already there: a slow shift from engineered safety to managed risk, driven not by bad intent, but by the constant pull of keeping production moving.

Doing the job “right” quietly lost out to doing it “now.”

The Growing Disconnect

The world is experiencing a faster pace, driven by constant connectivity, rapid technology advancements, and an “I want it now” mentality.  This affects our home life, but it also affects the workplace – especially production facilities.

As a result of this faster pace, operations managers and employees are facing increased production demand on shorter timelines.

Meanwhile, safety professionals are navigating ever-changing regulations, mile-long checklists, inspectors, and auditors who demand near perfection.

I work in process safety, but if I fail to recognize the demands of production, I am part of a bigger problem.

Somewhere out there, there’s a middle ground – we just need to search for it.

Production

When demand increases, an opportunity for greater profit arises within manufacturing industries. This opportunity often translates to increased demand on the workforce, frequently without an increase in manpower or tools.  When the pressure is on to meet increased quotas, sometimes on shorter timelines, the burden falls to operations. When operations employees feel that pressure, safety is often the first to fall by the wayside.  Safety protocols are often the quickest, easiest corners to cut and, usually, without consequence – until it isn’t.  Exhausted employees who have been worn thin will find any way to make the job easier and meet the demands.

There’s a proverb that says, “No pressure, no diamonds.”, but too much pressure isn’t conducive to a safe working environment or increased production.  In fact, even a diamond will break under too much pressure.

Operations employees are driven by tight deadlines, and the expectations from safety teams can, at times, hinder their pace.

Safety

Safety and operations rarely see a problem the same way.  Just about any safety professional will tell you that safety is the most underfunded and understaffed department.  While that may be true in some instances, it doesn’t change the demands of agencies like OSHA and the EPA.  So, while production employees are feeling the pressure from management, safety professionals are feeling the regulatory pressure.  They’re putting out figurative (and sometimes actual) fires while trying to keep up with regulations, follow legal protocols, keep their companies out of hot water and, most importantly, keep people safe.

Many in safety express frustration that operations can’t (or won’t) follow safety procedures.  Sure, regulatory requirements can slow production – but safety is always first, right?  Improved profits from increased production can be wiped out if OSHA fines pile up.

Management

Pressure comes from the top. While mid-level managers are often held accountable, the reality is that the pressure in operations is driven by expectations established at the highest levels.

Many of the people who work in upper management today haven’t spent time on a production line or in a safety department.  Profit may be the priority of their role, but so too is acknowledging the needs and limits of the people doing the work. Success depends on aligning expectations that are realistic for both employees and the organization.

Production can’t meet unrealistic goals without consequence.

Safety professionals can’t make changes unless you give them teeth with which to do so.

The tension is not rooted in differing priorities, but in organizational structures that too often set both teams up for failure. When designing management systems, this must be carefully considered. Safety should not be subordinated to operations, or vice versa, as this creates a significant conflict of interest. There is no hierarchy—production and safety should operate side by side, not in competition.

Building Fences

In many organizations, safety and operations operate as if they’re on opposing teams, one focused on preventing incidents, the other on meeting deadlines. But this perceived tension is exactly what holds both back. The real opportunity lies in cooperation: when safety is inserted into operational decision-making, and operations leaders take ownership of safe outcomes, not just production goals. It requires mutual respect, shared goals, and a shift from “us vs. them” to “we.” When both sides align around the idea that safe operations are efficient operations, the disconnect fades—and what replaces it is a culture where productivity and protection reinforce each other rather than compete.  Safety can sometimes feel like putting up barriers instead of enabling progress. However, when people recognize why a fence exists and the value it provides, there’s no desire to tear it down.

Reconnect

It’s time to close the gap. Bring safety and operations to the same table, align on common goals, and start building solutions together instead of working around each other. Make safety part of how the work gets done—not an obstacle to it. Because the strongest organizations aren’t the ones that choose between safety and performance, they’re the ones that refuse to separate them.