Safe, productive workplaces do not happen by accident (or as a result of one). Instead, they are woven into a company’s fabric as a fundamental part of the operation and are critical to its long-term success.
The most effective workplace cultures are not error-free ones; they are the ones that are relentless in their effort to learn and improve from mistakes as they happen, and, most importantly, they work to prevent them from happening in the first place.
Here are six steps companies can take to adopt a safety-focused culture.
Step 1: Adapt your EH&S program to meet safety expectations
The first step to any successful plan is knowing where things stand. A careful assessment of your organization can start by asking questions about systems and processes already in place and building an understanding of what safety metrics are currently in use.
For example, if incident rates are the only measurement of safety, then the only actions being measured are those that happen after an accident has already occurred. A more powerful metric measures preemptive activities—the steps taken to help ensure an incident does not happen in the first place. Then, when a safety-related measurement shows signs of a problem, action can be taken before an incident occurs and productivity is affected.
Safety expectations can change quickly, and environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) programs and policies must adapt just as fast. Regularly revisiting company policies can help keep employees safe and empower your team to respond swiftly and efficiently.
Establish company-wide communication and emergency response plans
Assess and update communication and emergency response plans regularly, ensure contact information is current, and conduct risk assessments.
Identify a cross-functional team to tap into in case of an emergency
EH&S efforts cannot work in a silo. Build a broader team that taps expertise and insights from all relevant departments, such as human resources, IT, operations, and executive leadership.
Redefine safety metrics and incorporate them into regular reporting
Take a thorough look at your health and safety program and ask, “Are there new metrics that should be captured?” Also, ensure the program meets new regulations and stays on the leading edge of safety trends. Additionally, safety metrics may not be reported on as frequently as production numbers. Show the team that safety is a priority by discussing it daily.
Update training protocols and requirements
Recommendations and guidelines may seem to shift almost daily in crises. Revisit training to ensure that protocols and requirements meet current needs and can be adapted to future needs. Conversations with frontline team members can provide valuable insight into needed updates. Use the feedback to guide training updates.
Step 2: Implement strategies for training
Employees need to know more than simply how to use the tools of the trade; they need to know what actions and activities might lead to unsafe practices. Once they understand, a trained employee is more likely to embrace workplace safety because they can identify protocol breaches by themselves and the effects these actions can have on their safety or that of their coworkers.
Proper training also helps employees understand how safety protocols help the bottom line (both for the company and themselves).
Try some—or all—of these strategies when it’s time to give your staff a refresher on workplace safety.
- Include activity-based learning: Activity-based learning engages trainees in an experience. It prompts them to actively participate in the learning process rather than passively consuming information. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) notes that, ideally, activity-based learning should fill at least two-thirds of employee training time.
- Set clear objectives: Many learners appreciate having a road map, even if it is a short agenda, that tells them what they will be learning, when, and why it is important.
- Offer hands-on training: Hands-on training is required in some situations, but even if it is not, it can be a great way to improve retention. While activity-based learning may be concept-driven, hands-on training focuses on the practical application of those concepts.
- Stick to relevant material: Keep information succinct and relevant. The more trainees understand the “why” behind safety concepts, the more likely they are to buy in and champion safety in the workplace.
- Encourage collaboration: Unless you are training brand-new employees, chances are there will be some knowledgeable workers in the class. Ask them to share their perspectives and experiences; real-world stories and feedback from veteran employees can help the rest of the class learn.
Step 3: Coordinate shift-to-shift handoffs
Successful shift-to-shift handoffs are one of the most essential tools companies can use to ensure that teams and leadership communicate effectively about issues and opportunities.
A shift handoff procedure performs two functions: It defines each step of the handoff process and sets expectations for each person’s role in that process and it also identifies how these handoffs take place. Will it be a written report passed from one supervisor to another? A short meeting around the whiteboard? Or maybe there is an internal system where employees can capture notes about a shift to pass information throughout the organization easily. The chosen method will depend on an organization’s safety, data, and document retention requirements.
Once a shift handoff procedure is created, ensure that all employees involved are trained and aware of expectations. Training employees and laying the foundation for productive handoffs can help improve communication and performance later.
During the handoff, supervisors from both shifts should complete the handoff procedure and a walk-through. The walk-through allows them to observe the environment and communicate schedule changes, equipment or maintenance issues, call-offs, and any other problems that arose on the previous shift. Discussing these items now means fewer unforeseen issues may arise during the upcoming shift.
Once the handoff is complete, supervisors must follow up on any items noted during the shift handoff procedure. This includes briefing the incoming shift about ongoing issues or relevant schedule changes.
Of course, toward the end of their shift, the supervisor should again prepare to complete the shift handoff procedure before leaving for the day.
Step 4: Plan for an emergency
Man-made hazards, such as chemical spills or electrical fires, and natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tornadoes, are considered workplace emergencies. Although no one can ever be 100 percent prepared for an emergency, a solid plan can reduce confusion and minimize danger long before it happens.
Creating an emergency action plan (EAP)
The best way to be prepared is to create an emergency action plan (EAP), which helps guide employees on the best course of action in case of a workplace emergency. A successful EAP is supplemented with robust training programs, employee drills, and clear communication about expectations and responsibilities during an incident.
Evacuation procedures
When putting together an emergency action plan, it is vital to determine the safest, most efficient way to evacuate an area
if necessary.
Disorganized evacuations may lead to injuries, confusion, and property damage, so it is essential to think through many scenarios. An evacuation from a high rise would be different from an outdoor job site. Likewise, an earthquake evacuation would be different from an active shooter situation.
To determine the best evacuation procedures for the workplace, ask:
- What situations would make evacuating the workplace necessary?
- What is the correct chain of command, including who is authorized to call for an evacuation?
- What are the most efficient evacuation routes and exits from each part of the building?
- Are there any specific people who need to remain in the building to shut down critical systems after most people have been evacuated?
- How will workers be accounted for after an evacuation?
Shelter-in-place procedures
Sometimes, evacuation is not the safest course of action. For example, an approaching tornado may require your employees to take shelter in an interior room of the building, or a chemical spill near your building may make it safer to remain inside until the hazard is cleaned up. Taking refuge in an interior room with few windows is considered sheltering in place.
If you determine that sheltering in place is your best course of action, you should:
- Close the workplace and alert employees, clients, and visitors to remain inside the building.
- Lock exterior doors, close windows, and shut down HVAC systems.
- Identify and stockpile essential disaster supplies, like bottled water and first-aid kits.
- Select an interior room with no windows, preferably with a hardwired telephone available.
- Listen to the radio, watch TV, or access the internet to monitor the situation to know when it is safe to leave.
Step 5: Use signage to keep everyone informed
Every employee is a potential investment in the success or failure of a company’s safety initiatives. Communication is the core of this engagement.
First, it is critical to lead by example. Nothing communicates more clearly than seeing how leadership buys into its mandates—if they do not see the leaders doing it, there is little reason for them to behave differently.
At the same time, regular communication can help increase acceptance and ensure employees feel they are both part of the change process and being kept in the loop. Monthly or even weekly discussions may be necessary to help keep teams engaged and ensure goals are being met.
There are many ways to communicate safety policies and goals, from toolbox talks to in-depth safety training. However, one way to ensure that teams receive a consistent, daily reminder is to create informative safety signage.
Communicating clear safety messages not only helps prevent workplace injuries but can also lead to increased productivity, profitability, and employee engagement. When posting signs where a safety incident is most likely to occur, such as near equipment, in stairwells, and by entryways to areas where personal protective equipment (PPE) is required, it reaches employees at the exact moment when they can make a favorable safety decision. This helps keep safety at the forefront of mind, no matter the task.
There are four basic principles you can apply to create engaging, successful safety signage:
- Keep text simple: Remember that safety signage is meant to remind people, not to train them.
- Include images and illustrations: People remember images far better than text.
- Apply recognizable colors: When choosing colors for safety signage, it is a good idea to start with OSHA’s and American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) recommended safety colors.
- Use content wisely: Because a safety sign contains few words to make the point, it is important to choose them carefully.
The best safety signs include messages with the following tone:
- Informative: A sign that delivers a vital, bite-size piece of information, e.g. statistics, goals, training times.
- Motivating: A sign that encourages employees to do the right thing and recognizes those who do, e.g. days without injury, kudos, benchmarks achieved.
- Inclusive: A sign that builds a relationship between the organization and its employees, e.g. birthdays, safety quotes, safety trivia.
Step 6: Regroup (often) to avoid making mistakes
Revisit safety shortfalls over the last five years and schedule the appropriate training and refresher courses.
Though the issue was likely addressed shortly after the original incident occurred, teams may now have new members or may have forgotten how necessary a particular safety precaution can be. Avoid a potential recurrence by revisiting any problems with your staff today.
A safety-focused culture
Creating and maintaining a culture of workplace safety goes beyond OSHA standards, PPE, training videos, safety captains, and incident reports.
Although it can be challenging to think of changing mindsets, behaviors, habits, and attitudes, creating a safe, positive workplace environment can do more than help keep employees safe—it can help keep them more engaged, productive, and invested in the company’s success. When workers see that the company has taken a genuine interest in their well-being, they feel valued, which in most instances leads to better on-the-job performance.
Sara Vincent is the director of marketing for JLG.
