When we talk to employers about safety, the most common question asked is “What can we do to create a culture of safety?”
This is quite a question, and there really is no direct answer that will work for each employer. Every employer brings their own set of circumstances, their own environments, their own staff issues, and so on. But the most common start can be with watching what their employees are doing each and every day. If you want safety, you cannot just talk about it. Sure it is great to talk the talk, but you have to walk the walk.
“He See’s You When You’re Sleeping, He Knows When You’re Awake, He Knows If You’ve Been Bad Or Good, So Be Good for Goodness Sake”
Santa would be a heck of a supervisor, he always has eyes on you. His approach on keeping kids in line would be a helpful training for all the supervisors out there looking to improve safety.
Just like Santa, the first step starts with the supervisors watching their staff. When an incorrect action or unsafe act is observed, it should be seen as an opportunity to prevent and correct that behavior from happening again before an injury happens. Supervisors cannot be everywhere at once, but their constant involvement is what will lay the path of correction.
A useful tool is the Employee Safety Observation sheet. Each supervisor should be spending time throughout the week watching their staff, and if a safety infraction occurs they should be immediately pulled aside and the employee safety observation form should be completed, signed off on, and corrective action implemented. Whether or not you discipline is up to you, but disciplinary measures are always helpful to reinforce the fact that the old way of doing things is long gone. The sooner you implement corrective action, the closer you are to creating an atmosphere and culture of safety at your plant.
Document & Report The Naughty or Nice List
I have attached a sample form below, and this can be modified or changed to fit any department, any job, and any measure. Be creative, and stick to your guns on these issues. Remember it has to be drilled home that the old way of cutting corners is a thing of the past. The sooner your workers realize this, the safer your plant can become.
WHERE UNSAFE BEHAVIOR WAS OBSERVED ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING:
Reason employee gave for unsafe behavior:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Constructive corrections:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Follow-up (if necessary):
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Where no unsafe behavior was observed provide the following positive reinforcement/recommendations:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Contact the Law Office of O'Toole & Sbarbaro, P.C. today if you have a workers' compensation or a Social Security disability case.
Phone: 303-595-4777
We are located in the Denver Metro area.
226 West 12th Avenue Denver, Colorado 80204
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