The Silence of the Labs

One of my favorite scary psychological thrillers is the movie, The Silence of the Lambs. The title was derived from a story told by the main character about her nightmares of screaming farm animals. A minor theme in the movie revolves around how much oversight the main character’s boss gives as she works on her first major crime case. The correct amount of oversight is key for any leader, especially inthe laboratory setting. Unfortunately, some leaders are all too silent and all too absent when it comes to safety oversight in their department.    

In a laboratory, leadership is about more than just ensuring the smooth operation of daily tasks. It’s about creating a culture that prioritizes safety, fosters communication, and encourages accountability. When leadership is absent, whether physically or mentally, the ripple effects on safety can be devastating. Absentee leadership in laboratories is not a rare occurrence. With the demands placed on managers and supervisors, it’s easy to see how they might become disconnected from their teams. But when leaders disengage, lab safety is often the first thing to suffer.

Absentee leadership is often subtle, and it can be hard to recognize. It isn’t just about leaders being physically absent from the lab; it’s about them being emotionally and mentally checked out. These leaders are often unavailable for questions, slow to address concerns, or overly focused on administrative tasks that pull them away from the people they lead. This disconnection can lead to significant safety concerns.

Absentee leaders tend to neglect their role in enforcing routine safety protocols, assuming that staff will handle safety on their own. Without regular check-ins, inspections, or encouragement, safety lapses can become more frequent. Missing PPE, outdated safety procedures, and failure to address faulty equipment are all symptoms of a leadership vacuum. Over time, the lack of oversight can lead to more serious safety incidents, putting everyone at risk.

An absentee leader might miss the opportunity to reinforce the importance of safety or even dismiss safety concerns as unimportant compared to operational goals. This can create a culture where staff feel undervalued or believe that cutting corners is acceptable. Over time, low morale leads to disengaged employees, which can result in increased accidents, injuries, and near misses. After all, if leadership isn’t concerned with safety, why should the staff be?

Open and clear communication is essential for any safe work environment. However, absentee leaders tend to be unavailable when their team needs them. Safety concerns often go unaddressed because staff are unsure how or when to bring up issues. The lack of feedback and follow-up can lead to confusion about protocols, increasing the chances of mistakes. Without a strong communication chain, potential safety hazards are less likely to be reported and resolved quickly.

Ongoing training is vital in any laboratory to ensure that safety protocols are up-to-date and properly followed. When leaders are disconnected from their teams, they may fail to provide adequate training or overlook critical competency assessments. This can lead to staff being unaware of new safety procedures or forgetting essential protocols. Inconsistent training undermines the very foundation of a safe work environment, leaving gaps that could lead to accidents.

Recognizing absentee leadership is an important first step, but what’s most important is taking action to correct it. Being a leader in the lab means more than just sitting behind a desk in the office. Get out on the floor, engage with your team, and participate in day-to-day operations. This doesn’t just make you more visible; it makes you more approachable. Staff are more likely to bring up safety concerns if they see you regularly and know that you are open to hearing them. Make safety a regular topic of discussion in meetings, and let your team know that you are available for any questions or concerns they may have.

As a leader, you set the tone for the rest of the team. If you prioritize safety, team members will as well. Wear your PPE, follow safety protocols, and participate in safety drills. Show your team that safety is a personal responsibility for everyone, including you. By modeling the behaviors you want to see in your staff, you’re sending a clear message: safety isn’t just something we talk about—it’s something we do.

To keep safety at the forefront, establish regular safety check-ins with the staff. This could involve weekly safety huddles, monthly inspections, or one-on-one discussions about safety with each team member. Regular check-ins show that you are not only present but also actively engaged in maintaining a safe work environment. During these check-ins, ask specific questions about safety concerns and listen to what your staff have to say. This will help you stay informed about potential risks and demonstrate your commitment to safety.

An open-door policy is critical in preventing absentee leadership behaviors. However, it must be backed by action. Ensure that your team feels comfortable speaking up about safety issues without fear of retaliation. Make it clear that safety concerns will be addressed promptly and taken seriously. Additionally, follow up on reported issues and provide feedback on how they were resolved. This reinforces trust and lets your team know that their voices are heard.

Safety training shouldn’t be a one-time event. Ongoing education and competency assessments are crucial to maintaining a culture of safety. Review your team’s training records regularly and ensure that everyone is up-to-date on the latest protocols and procedures. Schedule routine refreshers on critical safety topics and offer training on new equipment or techniques as needed. By keeping safety training top-of-mind, you can help prevent complacency and ensure that everyone is equipped to work safely.

Lastly, leadership requires setting clear safety expectations and holding your team accountable for meeting them. Develop clear safety goals, such as maintaining a zero-incident work environment or completing a certain number of safety audits each month. Communicate these expectations clearly and provide regular feedback on how the team is performing. When safety expectations are consistently reinforced, they become ingrained in the lab’s culture.

Absentee leadership may not always be intentional, but its effects on laboratory safety are undeniable. When lab leaders are “silent,” they disengage, safety protocols slip, morale drops, and communication falters, leading to a more hazardous work environment. However, by taking proactive steps to become more vocal, engaged, present, and communicative, leaders can create a lab environment where safety is prioritized and consistently maintained. Leaders manage operations in the lab, but by not staying silent, they can creating a culture where safety nightmares become a thing of the past.

–Dan Scungio, MT(ASCP), SLS, CQA (ASQ) has over 25 years experience as a certified medical technologist. Today he is the Laboratory Safety Officer for Sentara Healthcare, a system of seven hospitals and over 20 laboratories and draw sites in the Tidewater area of Virginia. He is also known as Dan the Lab Safety Man, a lab safety consultant, educator, and trainer.