How to Keep a Safety Program Focused

Staying focused on safety is a concern for everyone.

To stay focused, a safety program has to include behavioral changes. Although altering habits is generally an uphill battle, it can be done. During safety program training, participants may enthusiastically agree that safety is important and commit to ensuring that the program stays focused. But as they slip back into their day-to-day routines, they may revert to form and find that the importance of safety begins to fade. That's when it's time to refocus on the safety track.

Instructions

1. Schedule frequent short courses. Rather than having, for example, two days of safety training, break it up into seven or eight short sessions. People are more likely to concentrate and retain information that way. Regular safety training also helps them stay focused.

2. Let people know you are watching. When they begin to see the safety program as an active policy, rather than a passive practice that is only in effect for as long as the safety training lasts, they will start to change behaviors.

3. Plan frequent safety program reviews. At the beginning of the next safety training, ask participants what they remember about the last safety training topic, and then the one before that.

4. Send short e-mail safety reminders. Suppose, for example, driving safely is a concern on a construction site. Find a safe driving clip from YouTube and send it around. People may watch it, but even if they don't the subject header will remind them to refocus on the safety training they received the previous month.

5. Involve employees in planning and monitoring safety programs. A sense of ownership in the process -- and knowing their opinions count -- will encourage them to stay focused on safety issues.

References

• Corporate Training: How to Keep a Safety Program Focused
• Business Knowledge Source: Safety Regulations You Need To Focus on in The Workplace

Resources

• YouTube: Driver Safety