SUPERVISOR SAFETY TRAINING

What it Takes to Inspire Your People to Work Safe

Steve Wise - June 2010

SUPERVISOR SAFETY TRAINING

Keeping your People safe at work is a never ending process - and one that can easily consume most of your time.

As Safety Leaders - it must be our daily mission to ensure that our People complete what we ask of them - without mishap or incident.

This presentation is being offered to give Supervisors from various Industries - ideas or guidance in carrying out their mission...of Keeping Their People Safe.

Supervisor Safety Training

What a Safety Leader / Supervisor - is to Me

Supervisor Safety Challenges

My Safety Offerings to Supervisors

My Safety History / Background

What a Safety Leader is to Me?

A SAFETY LEADER -

Is the ONE RESPONSIBLE for the safety of his / her work group and the safe performance and execution of work group operations.

ACTS ON all safety Issues that are raised - ensures their completion - and communicates their status to their people.

CONDUCTS SAFETY TRAINING that is needed and applicable to a work group - that includes involvement and safety takeaways.

COMMUNICATES SAFETY INFORMATION in various forms not only to their work group, but up the chain of command as well.

ENCOURAGES and EXPECTS his / her people to be part of the company safety process and takes action to involve them in it.

KNOWS how safety requirements and performance fit into the organizations business strategy and relates such to his / her people.

What a Supervisor is to Me?

Leader Communicator Planner

Administrator Well Organized Coach

Disciplinarian Time Manager Co-Worker

Counselor Employee Change Agent

Safety Champion

Flexible / Adaptable

Learner / Teacher

Supervisor Safety Challenges

Supervisors can face various and many Safety Challenges including -

People Issues: sub-par performance, relationships, attitude, injury prone, discipline, new / transferred employees, etc.

Conflicting Priorities: production vs. safety, using defective equipment to complete a task, management single focus, etc.

Communication Breakdowns: mis-understandings, unclear directions, language barriers, outdated procedures, etc.

Managing Time: deadlines, schedule changes, manpower differences, production vs. administrative functions, etc.

Tool & Equipment Issues: T&E inspections, lack of the right / proper T&E, improper maintenance, breakdowns / downtime, etc.

Work Environment: poor housekeeping, union vs. management differences, stress from possible layoffs, off shift differences, etc.

Supervisor Safety Challenges

Supervisors can face various and many Safety Challenges including -

Training Issues: lack of supervisory training, limited time for training, outdated training methods, providing safety takeaways, etc.

Work Group Involvement: lack of employee safety involvement / interest, being part of the process, promoting active participation, etc.

Compliance Issues: internal and external safety requirements, how they differ and are similar, what actions are needed to attain, etc.

Sharing Responsibility: encouraging work group employees that safety is their responsibility too and watch out for safety of co-workers.

Safety Time: knowing what time the organization affords to safety, and maximizing it to provide the most safety impact to work group.

Accident Investigation: knowing how to conduct that properly identifies the root cause and taking actions to prevent its reoccurrence.

What are waysin which You

the Safety Leader can keep

your People Safe?

My Safety Offerings for SupervisorsSupervisor - Safety Actions

Your People’s Safety must be your top priority.

Start each Shift with a Safety Message.

Act on all Safety Concerns raised to you - and as quickly as you can.

Make sure to follow-up on outstanding safety concerns.

Ensure that Safety Rules are understood and followed by all.

Always have your “Safety Eyes” on.

When you see a Safety concern, infraction, hazard - deal with it right away.

My Safety Offerings for SupervisorsSupervisor - Safety Actions

Promote good housekeeping – it should be done daily – and by all members of your work group.

Encourage your People to report their Near Misses.

Such are great live and learn examples – that can result in action to prevent their reoccurrence – and an actual injury from happening.

Employees should never be disciplined for reporting a Near Miss.

Ensure that Workplace Inspections (i.e., Vehicle, Equipment Logs) are completed daily and acted on when non-conformances are identified.

Encourage your People to have a Safety Voice.

My Safety Offerings for SupervisorsSupervisor - When You Witness an Unsafe Act

Stop the action right away.

NEVER LOOK THE OTHER WAY!

Ask them if they know and understand how to perform the operation safely.

If not, explain it to them or have another Co-Worker that knows how - show them how.

Ask them if there is anything that is preventing them from following the procedure safely.

Act on any issue from this discussion that needs to be addressed.

My Safety Offerings for SupervisorsSupervisor - Actions to Involve Your Employees in Safety

Rotate the responsibility for reviewing your organizational Safety Bulletins / Briefings / Communications - with your People.

Assign someone to select a Safety Rule from your organizations Safety Handbook to read and discuss it.

Review Safety Accidents or Incidents that have occurred in or outside your work group / organization – and have your People come up with recommendations on why it happened and how it could have been prevented.

Openly discuss Employee Safety Concerns that have been raised – and advise your People of their status and actions taken / to be taken - to address them.

Conduct Workplace Safety Audits on a frequent basis, using your Safety Reps to identify non-conformances in both operations and plant facilities - and see to it that they are corrected timely.

My Safety Offerings to SupervisorsSupervisor - Safety Postings

The posting of a simple Safety Picture in your workplace - can send a strong Safety Message.

Pictures of Safety Incidents including Injuries - not only get your People’s attention - but can be used to get them thinking - “Could it happen to Them?”

The use of such Safety Pictures will have to be tailored to your work environment -

Heavy Manufacturing Plant - My experience is that the use of very dramatic and gory pictures, especially those pertaining to similar operations that are performed - work the best.

Office Environment - The above pictures will not work, nor are they suitable for such a working environment.

Such Pictures can be used in Safety Meetings - simply by displaying it and asking your People what actions could have been taken to avoid such incidents - or avoid getting injured from.

Safety Pictures & Their Message

A SAFETY PICTURE CAN BE WORTH

1,000 WORDS

What does this Picture tell us?

How can you use this Picture to Help your People work Safe?

OH SHIX! - Lessons to be Learned

from the proceeding PictureInspect your Tools & Equipment daily.

Do not use T&E that are found to be unsafe and in poor condition.

Be prepared for the unexpected.

Don’t take chances / risks / shortcuts.

Make sure that you wear the appropriate PPE - Personal Protective Equipment for the job that you are performing.

Always expect your T&E to fail - and position your body accordingly.

Always follow the Safety Rules that pertain to the task at hand.

Safety TrainingIf you conduct Safety Training -

Your goal should be to ensure that your People

take something away that they can

use and benefit from – either in their Workplace or at Home.

My Safety Offerings for SupervisorsSupervisor - Safety Training

Make sure that you know and understand the Safety Topic prior to conducting / presenting.

Encourage and expect 2-way communication when conducting Work Group Safety Training - Get your People involved!

Frequently use Visual Aides to communicate your Safety Message. Used correctly, it is a great Safety Training Tool.

Train your People in Safety Topics that apply directly to what they do and what they need to know in order to perform their job safely.

Recognize Safety Performance – both Individually and as a Team.

Supplement your Safety Training with outside Safety Experts - such as local Vendors, Fire Department, Safety Instructors, etc.

CONDUCT SAFETY TRAINING.....WITH A PASSION!

My Safety Offerings to SupervisorsSupervisor - Safety Communications

Walk your Safety Talk - Your People must see you do what you say.

How you communicate with your People regarding Safety - will determine the type of Safety Message your People hear and how well they accept it.

If you promise one of your People that you will look into their Safety Concern - then do so & timely.

Be a frequent Safety Voice - talk about Safety often and tell your People how they can benefit from it.

Talk about Safety from your Heart - and mean it!

My Safety HistorySafety Leader of both Repair Divisions / Locations and HQ Office.

Taught many Safety Topics including - Pinch Point Safety, LOTO, PPE, Ergonomics, Welding and Electrical Safety, and Accident Investigation.

Conducted numerous Accident Investigations attaining the goal of finding Root Cause(s) and prevented any reoccurrence.

Established working Safety relationships with Supervisors, Union Safety Reps, and Workers - and including them as part of the process.

Produced many Job Hazard Analysis in conjunction with Workforce - to identify and control all applicable job hazards.

Extensive experience in complying with California Environmental Rules & Regulations, and their impact on the workforce.

Almost complete with my Masters of Science in Occupational Safety and Health Degree @ Columbia Southern University.

Questions or Comments?

Send them to me via “Linked in”

I hope that this has helped you in some way - to Keep Your People Safe.

Steve Wise