Last week, a SafetyXChange member asked: “We are about to face some layoffs. Are there any good strategies on how to approach layoffs from a safety perspective?”

Thanks to everyone who took the time to write in. Here are some of your suggestions. They seem to share a common thread.

Communicate and Offer Help

The employees who are left having to take up the slack are going to have resentment against the company. They may be thinking that one way to “get back” at the company is to damage equipment. The company has to become sensitive to the mood of those employees and provide them with additional training - to understand the new jobs they will be asked to perform - and to understand what's going on with the business. The CEO does not operate in a vacuum so why should the plant floor employee have to endure a lack of business information.

Some employees may also feel remorse because they still have a job while their best friend does not. They may be "shell shocked" and have a form of post traumatic stress disorder. Those employees will need some professional help so they can focus on doing their jobs safely.

Regards:
Barry R. Weissman, CHMM, CSP
Vice President
Hillmann Environmental Group, LLC

Communicate and Provide Training

When I was in the military and we were losing people and the aircraft from the squadron at the same time, we took a whole day and had a safety standdown. During that time, the senior commander explained everything that was going on and a time table in which it was going to happen. We were also told that we may be asked to do more work than we previously had to and we may be asked to do work that other people used to do when they were here. After that we reviewed SOPs, job safety protocols, tool safety, fire safety, evacuation plans, and had a picnic at the end of the day. I hope you can use some of this in your situation.

Daryl Kauffman
U.S. Navy (Retired)
Currently an
Industrial Hygienist with
Kirk U. S. Army Health Clinic
Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

Communicate Some More

This is a good example of why safety has to be a culture, a way of life and not event based to be successful and sustainable.

That being said when drastic changes happen nothing is more important than communicating the company's policy, vision or statement of the importance of health and safety. Investing some time to reinforce the commitment to health and safety goes a long way to delivering good results. When different folks are in different physical work locations and/or doing different work, risk assessment becomes one of the most important things to focus on. Formal risk assessment tools and documentation can be utilized. "Tailgate" and "Toolbox" talks are another way of communicating about the job, the risks and the execution of work about to take place.

Tony

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