• Lead by example — follow the same safety rules you expect from others.
• Praise and recognise safe behaviour when you see it happening on site.
• Encourage workers to report hazards and near misses without fear of blame.
• Listen to safety concerns raised by any member of the team and act on them.
• Share lessons from incidents openly and constructively with the whole team.
• Include safety as the first item on every meeting agenda.
• Invest time in safety conversations — they build trust and engagement.
• Support workers who use stop work authority when conditions are unsafe.
• Treat every person on site with respect regardless of their role or employer.
• Celebrate safety milestones and improvements as a team achievement.

• DON'T blame individuals for incidents without examining the systems that failed.
• DON'T ignore safety concerns raised by workers — that destroys trust instantly.
• DON'T walk past unsafe conditions without acting — silence implies acceptance.
• DON'T treat safety as a burden that slows the project down.
• DON'T expect culture change from a single poster campaign or one-off event.
• DON'T punish workers for reporting incidents or near misses honestly.
• DON'T allow different safety standards for different trades or subcontractors.
• DON'T undermine stop work authority — support it every single time.
• DON'T hide behind paperwork — culture is built through actions, not documents.
• DON'T assume your safety culture is strong because you have not had an incident.

See also: Behavioural Safety Awareness | Safety Observations and Conversations