Building a safety culture is like the weather. Everybody talks about it but nobody does anything to change it. Well, that's not completely true. I have developed a handy little tool and used it successfully to build a safety culture and even change the mindset of employees toward safety on the job and off: the Safety 1-on-1. Here's what it is and how to use it. There's also a model script in the Tools section that you can access if you're a member of SafetyXChange.

What the 1-on-1 Involves

The Safety 1-on-1 is a simple concept. As manager, I made a commitment to meet every employee in the operation individually to discuss safety. In addition to demonstrating my commitment to their individual safety, the 1-on-1 enabled me to understand each employee in a way I could never do if I just observed and met with them on the floor the way most managers do.

What to Talk About

The 1-on-1 takes some preparation and effort. First you need to identify what you intend to talk about. I suggest that you focus on:

• Your company's health and safety policy and the employer's and employee's responsibilities under it;
• The company's safety record including statistics on the number of medical aids, first aids, lost time incidents, and near miss incidents; frequency by department or station all of which are also graphed to show trend lines;
• The employee's own individual safety record; and
• The potential hazards he or she faces on the job.

1-on-1 Is a Two-Way Street

I have also found that it's a good idea to ask employees if they have any safety concerns that require attention. I know that this is something the Health and Safety Committee is supposed to do. But when you close the door and sit down with every employee, it's amazing what you'll discover. Employees will voice concerns that you might have overlooked and make suggestions you wouldn't have thought of. This can make a big difference in your entire operation.

Sometimes the employee will prepare a list of the things he wants to discuss with you. This can be a great thing. I make it a point to document the employee's concerns and enter them into a database. I update the list after each interview and publish it at regular intervals so that other employees are aware of what ideas or concerns have been raised. This in turn generates further feedback and dialog.

The Payoff

Sometimes I ask myself why I bother doing all of this. Does anybody really care? But a recent experience I had answered all my questions. It happened when an employee who's been working at this same operation for over 20 years told me that, thanks to these 1-on-1's, he was practicing better safety not only on the job but also at home.

Suddenly it struck me that I was making a difference and actually helping to build a safety culture. In addition to making me feel good, this conversation persuaded me to add "home safety" to our 1-on-1 to tie the family to home safety. It's kind of fun to see the light come on in the employee, when you tie the family into their lives.

TRAINING TIPS

Richard Hawk - bio

Ending With a Bang, Part 2

By Richard Hawk

"Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending."

--Longfellow

Longfellow wasn't talking about safety presentations but he might as well have been. In last week's mini-column, I talked about the importance of the ending and warned against signing off with weak and self-effacing statements like "Thank you," and "I guess you're eager to get back to work." Afterwards I received a flood of e-mails from SafetyXChange members wanting to know how they should end their presentations. So I'm back this week to answer that question.

Here are some tips for ending effectively:

• Keep It Brief: The conclusion should be no more than 10 percent of the presentation. Of course, you don't have to use up your entire 10 percent. Sometimes it's more effective to present a very brief, to-the-point, punch conclusion.
• Summarize the Main Idea: A summary doesn't mean a ramble but a simple and brief statement like: "Now you can see why it's worth the time and any minor incon­veniences to wear your seatbelt."
• Include a Call to Action: Send your listeners away with a clear mandate, whenever possible. Example: "Starting today, make the commit­ment that you will remind fellow workers when they forget to wear their safety glasses."

These aren't hard and fast rules. But they are good general guidelines that should help you end your presentations with a bang, not a whimper.

About Richard Hawk

Richard Hawk is on the SafetyXChange Board of Advisors. He is an international speaker, trainer, author, consultant and all around fun bird. He is also an accomplished guitarist and singer-songwriter. For more than 20 years, he has used his high energy, passion and creativity to help companies inspire their employees to live better lives by attacking stress, improving their communication skills and living safely.

To view his bio, click here. You can contact Richard by email here.

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