Make Sure Your Employee Safety Program Is Safe...and Legal
It sounds like a joke. An illegal employees safety program. However, based on recently release OSHA guidelines some employee safety programs can skirt federal regulations. When an employee safety program encourages employees to report incidents it, in some situations can lead to an employer penalizing employees for the incident regardless of who is at fault. Ensure that your safety program is aimed at motivating safe behavior and not necessarily encouraging incident reporting.
Promoting worker participation in the employee safety program is the safest, most effective way to ensure legality and success. Providing t-shirts for employees who participate in employee safety program, small rewards for employees who help strategize safety improvements for the entire workforce, or celebrating with employees when they complete a safety training program are great ways to promote safe behavior, rather than focusing on incidents and reporting. Ensure your safety program is safe for employees and legal for your business by using an employees safety program to promote safety and safe workplace behavior, rather than focusing on when safety goes south. How will you promote your employee safety program in the second half of the year? Leave us a comment and let us know!
For more information on the newly released OSHA guidelines and how to promote your workplace safety program legally check out Safety.BLR.com
Training to Promote Workplace Safety
Workplace safety programs can save your company untold sums of money. The larger your workforce the more important it is to ensure the safety of your workplace. An innovative new wave in safety training is emerging that makes your workplace actively prepared for any situation that could arise. Using basic employee training in CPR, AED use and first aid can mitigate safety incidents by empowering employees to "take matters into their own hands." Employees who volunteer to be trained from the American Red Cross deserve recognition from their employers. While the skills are equally valuable to the employer and the employee, it is up to an employer to recognize employees who are willing to step up to make their workplace a better place. Rewards for employee recognition do not need to be large lavish vacations, or even days off. Employees who choose these types of added responsibilities should only need a pat on the back. Try small denomination gift cards from popular brands like
Crutchfield to help them spruce up their home,
Boston Market to treat employee's families to dinner or
Speedway to help them curb the rising cost of the fuel that likely helps them get to work in the morning. Dedicated employees will dedicate themselves to safety. Make sure you take the opportunity to say thank you.
For more information check out this article from Occupational Health and Safety.
Maintain Employee Safety During Winter Weather
This winter has been especially harsh on cities and towns across the U.S. Between the sleet, snow, ice and frigid temperatures we are beginning to hear Mayors and Governers talk about shortages in salt and sand used to minimize ice on roads and sidewalks. This all adds up to countless hours logged by public works employees clearing snow, de-icing roads and making sure the rest of us stay safe amidst the winter weather. The media covers how average citizens can stay safe in the inclement weather, but it is the job of public works departments to make sure their employees stay safe through the winter months as well. Make safety a priority this winter. Talk about how to maintain safe practices even in the worst situation. Publicly acknowledge employees that go beyond their basic job descriptions to make sure everyone around them stays safe. Safety recognition programs are a great way to motivate employees to maintain safe practices. Recognize safety milestones like "X days without a safety incident," or hand out small spot rewards for a job well done. Giving out small denomination gift cards to popular retailers like
Crutchfield,
AutoZone or
Speedway are a great way to say thank-you to employees who work hard in the worst conditions to keep the rest of us safe all winter long.
3 Tips for a Successful Safety Incentive Program
A safety incentive program decreases losses for organizations by keeping employees safe, happy and at work. Implementing a successful safety incentive program has to work for your workforce and offer the right types of incentives to keep employees engaged. Here are 3 quick tips for ensuring success in your safety program.
Employee Safety Starts at the Top
Employees safety doesn’t necessarily mean "creating a culture of safety." One way to look at safety is to make it a part of the fabric of your organization and part of the culture, and the way to achieve that is to start at the top. Key values of executive management trickle down to the workforce without it seeming like management is trying to will the workforce in a certain direction. Making employee safety a value of management, and supporting that with a cultivation of that value among employees, is the way to go.
