2008 was another great year for SafetyXChange. In June, we had our best Saxcies event ever. (Coincidentally, it was also the first Saxcies ceremony that Glenn missed.) In September, we moved our growing community to a new platform to accommodate more members. And at some point during the year we published an article by our 100th author.

But while things have been good for the SafetyXChange community, for many of our members the times are tough. Budgets and jobs are being cut. It’s during these tough times more than ever that your participation is needed and appreciated. And once again, Glenn and I have been humbled and touched by the many times and many ways that SafetyXChange members have contributed to the safety and well-being of strangers. Thank you all for being so generous with your time and your advice.

2008 Training and Leadership Articles in SafetyXChange

Here’s a quick look at just a dozen of the articles from this year’s Training and Leadership Weekly newsletter that SafetyXChange publishes every Thursday.

1. Sometimes supervisors need a gentle reminder (and a little sarcasm) to persuade them that young workers require proper training. New BC Laws for Young Workers: Who Needs ‘Em? Let’s Talk, by Alana Gow.

2. Police officers are trained to watch for subtle actions as a sign of impairment. You can adapt some of the same techniques that police use to help your supervisors identify drug and alcohol abuse by your own employees. Using Police Techniques to Sniff Out Drug and Alcohol Abuse in the Workplace, by Dave Duncan. (Part 2) (Part 3)

3. Safety people try hard to influence behavior constructively. But in trying to change behavior, you’re fighting a lifetime of conditioned training. So how do you overcome all of this? Sometimes it pays to guide people to look at why they do the things they do. Overcoming Bad Influences, by Ralph White.

4. Complacency is one of the greatest detractors from workplace safety. If your company is battling a complacent workforce, there are three ways your frontline supervisor can help. Three Ways to Battle Complacency, by Devin Singh.

5. It’s not enough to provide training and directions. To keep your workers safe, you must be sure that they have processed the information. Here’s how to address two common conditions - ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and dyslexia – that may be interfering with your safety training efforts. Training Workers Who Have ADHD and Training Workers With Dyslexia, by Anne-Rachelle McHugh.

6. As a teenager, Alan Colter learned a valuable lesson about the importance of labeling. It’s a cause that still drives him as a safety professional to this day. Label Me Safe, by Alan Colter.

7. A safety consultant visits a trade show, takes home a product sample and comes up with a corny pun that leads to a very successful safety awareness campaign. Safety De Pins On Me, by Art Fettig.

8. The generation gap of today is not as dramatic as it was in the 1960s. But it does still exist. And it’s important for today’s safety supervisors and managers to recognize that Gen Y workers lack a few basic but essential workplace skills. Instead of thinking of it as a generation gap, perhaps we should consider it a knowledge gap. Understanding and Managing Generation Y, by Catherine Jones.
(Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4)

9. Sometimes, when we are thrust into our un-comfort zone, motivation is forced upon us. And whether we sink or swim depends on how we respond. Here are the tales of two men who each faced a crisis late in life. A Tale of Two Crises, by Robert Wilson.

10. Diversity in the workplace can pose challenges to your health, safety and environmental efforts. But you can harness diversity to your advantage and use it to build stronger safety process and unite employees through the shared goal of safety. How Workers’ Cultural Diversity Can Improve Your Safety Program, by Luis Gonzales and Michael Topf. (Part 2)

11. To facilitate the effective transfer of knowledge, instructors need a well-designed course, using simplicity and variety. It’s a process that requires a bit of planning. How to Improve Your Safety Training Program, by Barbara Semeniuk. (Part 2)

12. Life really comes down to attitude. If you have a negative attitude, you’ll have a negative outlook on life. Here are 10 steps to an attitude adjustment. From Negative to Positive with 10 Simple Reminders, by Lyonel Doherty.

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