In our last blog we began with some of the things that we in management positions can do to show we are committed to the safety of our employees. Today e continue that discussion.
Motivation
In a perfect world, our guys would always be 100% on board with the program. Unfortunately, this is the real world, and we know it's often more problematic than we think it will be to get a safety program that is as effective as we would like. So what do we do?
Well, Make it a part of the company culture. What is company culture? The shared values, attitudes, and behaviors of a company and its employees.
A company's culture may be expressly and deliberately cultivated, or it may simply result from the accumulation of decisions made over time. With a strong company culture, employees understand the expected outcomes and behaviors and act accordingly. Some companies have a team-based culture that emphasizes employee participation on all levels, while other businesses have a culture where formal, traditional, or hierarchical management is valued. It should be essential for us to have our field workers be active participants rather than be told what to do.
One way we do this is to have the leadership directly involved. Ask the foremen, site managers, and project managers directly, "How can the safety program help YOU reach the objectives?" But don't stop with them.
EVERYONE should feel ownership of the program! Let them air their opinions and concerns about the program, and LISTEN! Some of the most outstanding ideas come from laborers who are on the job every day and might see something in your program that is not practical for that particular job or come up with a great idea you have never thought of.
When asked directly, whether it be a foreman, a mason, or a laborer, it can change the employee's perspective. Instead of becoming something they "have" to do, it becomes something they have a part in! The mindset changes from being "just an employee" to being an asset to the company. Now YOU are playing in their sandbox and not expecting them to play in yours!
Once we get them motivated and see the importance of safety, they will bring that home with them. We need to encourage that because good safety practices are often neglected once a worker gets home.
I was reminded of an example the other day. Something as simple as unrolling an extension cord. Most of the crew know that you unroll the cord BEFORE plugging it into the power source. Why? What can happen if there is a nick in the cord while you are unrolling it and it's live? ZAPP!
If this rule becomes part of the company culture because they were motivated by you, it becomes ingrained in them, and even at home, they will think "safety first."
Why is this important?
According to the National Safety Council, each year, there are 300 deaths and 4,000 injuries from electrocution. The Fall Statistics are mind-boggling! over 200 MILLION people fall each year, with a staggering 527,000 resulting in death. 56% of those deaths were not on the job but at home.
If we can motivate our crew to the point that safety becomes second nature, we could save lives, not just on the job but also out in the real world.
Next, we can Delegate.
Let the field crew actively participate in our safety program!
Maybe let them take a turn at a toolbox talk or even a live demonstration. Who checks scaffolding or safety equipment? Assign someone to go behind them and check again. I have done this, and more than once, the laborer I assigned to second check has found a problem. It saved someone from getting hurt, but it got the whole crew involved.
Anything you can think of to keep them motivated and active in the program helps. Just make sure to have a clear, set plan!
Finally, ask them for feedback. LISTEN to that feedback and use it to improve your program.
To keep them motivated and on board may take effort on your part. YOU may have to improve YOUR relationship skills.
It would help if you were seen as trustworthy. You need to have confidence in yourself and your team to do this. Having a great idea is not enough; it takes a natural leader and someone they know and trust. You need to show them honesty, respect, and fairness to do this.
Toolbox Talks ,Make it fun, or at least less boring!
Face it. Safety is no laughing matter. toolbox talks can become boring and monotonous, ick!
Weekly and, in some cases, daily toolbox talks can become incredibly dull and mundane. The guys soon learn how to tune them out. Find ideas other than the norm. We sometimes do short skits on safety, and it gets them participating and not just listening. I've also done "pop quizzes" with multiple-choice questions and silly answers stuck in them once in a while. Brainstorm, and think of different ways to present them.
Once a month, I will produce a short video that we can watch and discuss. Videos are a great way to make boring talks more fun! I usually put them on YouTube, where they can be reused later.
Once a year or so, we have a hands-on safety meeting. It starts with a training class and ends by practicing what we discussed. Make it a half-day or even full day. Provide breakfast and lunch. Also, make certificates of completion.
I got this from a fall protection /self-rescue class I participated in for a volunteer group I was in. We spent a couple of hours discussing fall protection and equipment and then went out and dropped ourselves from a tree about 3 ft off the ground and were required to self-rescue. It was pretty strange and not as easy as you think as even at only 3 ft. off the ground, you panic when you feel your harness tighten and your circulation leave your legs suddenly. We each took a turn falling and self-rescuing, and if we could not do it within a certain amount of time, we went to the back of the line to try again. We got some crazy looks from the people driving down the road!
But I thought this was fun and informative. Why don't we do that?
Incentives
Lastly, I want to mention safety incentives. I don't particularly appreciate calling them incentives or rewards because it implies that our crew won't participate without a bonus. I don't see it that way, and I see it as little tokens of appreciation for a job well done. For safety or production, It makes them feel appreciated. They feel like you notice their efforts, and you will get more action in all areas, not just safety from people who think you appreciate them.
Here are a few I've used:
Every week I either slip a note in their envelope with the check, or I give them a great job sticker on the envelope. It sounds corny, but the one week I didn't feel well and didn't do it, the guys chewed me out! They missed their weekly appreciation sticker
Monthly -
I have hard hat stickers produced. or face masks etc., and slip them in with the paychecks
Bi-yearly-
I do not always get the chance every six months, but I try to have a drawing for a tool or a gift certificate, a hat, shirt, etc.
Yearly-
During our appreciation dinner, I have a drawing for a bigger prize like a TV., a Roku, or similar. This year is BIG. I am selecting four employees who will get a plane ticket and hotel room to Las Vegas for the world of concrete.
These are just a few ways we can commit to safety on the Jobsite as management. I would love to hear from you if you have any questions or comments.
You can also contact me anytime. I will be glad to share the booklet I produced for this segment, and I also have other booklets you might be interested in. I also am willing to share any of my safety sheets, Employee handbooks, protocols, etc. drop me an email.
Comments