Is safety important or should we just react

I think safety is important, but I am working for an organization that claims it is important but in the true sense of the matter, safety is just right there as a nice to have but we would rather you focus on making sure toilet paper and tampons are stocked in the respective restrooms.
I worked for an organization that rearranged the priorities of the safety manager to do just that. He could not investigate an accident because he had to get a coffee spill out of carpet. I thought, what insanity. Nowhere in the text books or association's professional publications does that come up as an issue.
Well, after a number of years a position came up with an organization that I thought would be above board and need someone to really take the safety bull by the horns and get the organization in total safe mode. That dog is not going to hunt.

I do feel that security plays a large role in ensuring the organization is safe. With safety being responsible for workplace violence and keeping records on incidents, security should be part of the team. Boy, was I wrong. And it is even worse when you work in an organization that is organized and managed by stove pipes. And if you go outside the stove pipe, be prepared to get your wrist slapped. My goodness. I am asking questions. But those have to formalized the discussed via committee before going outside the stovepipe.
I think in terms of let's get the job done and I am told that we have to take our time. Sure and when someone gets hurt, oh well, we were working on it.

As I instruct my students I tell them how the org chart should look like but how it can be. The question came up as to why if OSHA is so strong and safety is to be observed, why are there still deaths and serious injuries. Think of it like this, if tampons are a higher priority than someone working on a ladder that is unserviceable, people will get hurt.

Time for another cup of coffee.