I believe that there are three factors that have a significant impact on the effectiveness of a safety meeting program and a safety program. They are:

• The things safety leaders pay attention to;
• How they respond to matters raised; and
• How they reinforce sound safety behavior.

Apply these factors to your own brand of safety leadership and I believe you will be able to improve your credibility and effectiveness. Let me explain how to do that.

Factor #1: What a Leader Pays Attention To, Measures and Controls

Problem: We do what we measure. So leaders need to establish methods to measure the key aspects of their own safety efforts. It's these measures that demonstrate accountability on the part of leaders and allow the leaders to hold members of their teams accountable.

Solution: Set firm measures and review them regularly with your team. For example, conduct a weekly review, including a discussion of safety participation and a roundup of issues brought forward at previous safety meeting for follow-up. Consistent review of these items and demonstration of progress build leadership credibility and promote a culture of accountability.

Factor #2: How a Leader Responds to Situations Brought to Their Attention

Problem: Even the most knowledgeable of leaders don't have all the answers. So you need to be prepared for those occasions when you don't have an immediate answer to a concern that's brought to your attention. Unfortunately, an all too typical response in this situation is no response at all. Such a lack of response allows the problem to fester and complicates the situation. And if workers perceive the safety leader as being unresponsive, they may stop reporting their concerns.

Solution: All concerns deserve a response, even the ones you perceive to be minor. If you don't have an immediate solution, use the resources within your organization to address the problem. For example, if you don't know how to solve a bathroom housekeeping issue, work with the person in charge of building maintenance to find a solution. Following up on concerns builds credibility with your team members.

Factor #3: How Positive Safety Behavior is Reinforced

Problem: Reinforcing positive safety behavior can have an enormous impact on your safety program. However, we are all sometimes guilty of focusing on the problems and not focusing enough on the accomplishments.

Solution: The leading indicator performance measures I talked about in item number one are excellent tools for identifying milestones that deserve recognition. Milestones and goals should be established and shared with each work group. The group should celebrate when a milestone is reached.

Conclusion

Any leader who focuses on these factors will raise their level of credibility with their team and enjoy the benefits of a positive work culture.

YOUNG WORKERS

A Quiz for Safety Trainers

By Catherine Jones

Last month, I attended a sobering presentation at the Industrial Accident Prevention Association (IAPA) conference in Toronto. Presenter Sue Boychuk from Ontario's Ministry of Labour shared some results of a young worker fatality review, plus research performed by the Institute for Work & Health.

Granted, most of the information was based on Canadian data and some were focused on only Ontario. But still there was something that all safety trainers from across North America could learn.

Scenario: It's Wednesday afternoon, nearly 4pm, and 21-year-old Joe is starting to plan for his upcoming weekend. With two weeks worth of work under his belt, Joe's finally getting a decent paycheck on Friday and he's got every penny earmarked. Ever since he dropped out of high school at 15, Joe had been trying to convince his uncle to hire him. But there was always an excuse: the construction business was slow; it's just a small business and he already had enough workers; he didn't have time to train a new guy, etc., etc. Finally the uncle gave in. And now Joe has a real job and a steady paycheck. Life is good.

Question: Joe will be lucky if he makes it through the day uninjured, never mind alive. According to the research, Joe's got at least 9 strikes against him. Can you name them?

Answer:

1. Joe's age: Young workers (aged 15 to 24) are at a higher risk of injury than older workers, with 74.3% of young workers killed on the job being 20 to 24 years old.
2. Joe's gender: Young male workers have about twice the risk of injury compared to young female workers.
3. Day of the week: Most young worker deaths occur on a Wednesday.
4. Time of day: The most common fatality time is between 2pm and 4pm.
5. Employment duration: Workers (of all ages) are 4 times more likely to be injured on the job during their first month on the job.
6. Industry: The construction sector accounted for 26% of young workers deaths between 1999 and 2004.
7. Joe's education: In Ontario, young workers who leave school early (drop out) are the most likely of young workers to be seriously injured or killed on the job.
8. Joe's employer: 25% of young male workers killed were working for or with their father or uncle.
9. Uncle's business: 51.4% of employers experiencing young worker fatalities are small businesses, with fewer than 20 workers.

The Importance of Training, Supervision and Attitude

According to the Institute for Work & Health, in Canada only 23% of young workers in their first year on the job reported receiving any orientation, safety training or equipment training. And in the United States, in a study of work-related injuries among teenagers, 80% of those injuries occurred when there was no supervisor present.

Of course, safety professionals know the importance of safety policies and practices, orientation, supervision and proper safety training programs. But one thing that arose during the discussion portion of the presentation was the dangerous assumptions some of us make about young workers: That they think they're invincible. In fact, according to one audience member, the young workers he'd spoken with feel vulnerable and "flushable."

FROM THE VIDEO FILES
The Importance of Communicating

Here's a clip that Sue Boychuk showed during her presentation. Life can change in a split second.

Click here to see video clip.

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