TOPIC: WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SEE UNSAFE ACTS

QUESTION: What should you do if you observe an unsafe act?

 Immediately intervene to stop it before the worker gets hurts or hurts someone
else.

QUESTION: How should you approach the worker?

 Stay calm and take the worker aside.

 Start with a positive comment such as, “Glad you are wearing the correct PPE”.
 Be sure not to let your body language say otherwise – such as a tense posture or
glaring.
 Calmly mention the unsafe act that you witnessed and talk about what could have
happened if you didn’t intervene. Ask them to suggest to you a safer way to do
the job.
 Obtain the worker’s agreement to work more safely in the future.
 Engage the worker in a general safety discussion. Maybe ask if they have any
safety concerns. Experienced workers often know their jobs better than you do so
you might learn something you hadn’t already considered.
 Always thank the employee for their time.

QUESTION: Should you speak to a worker who is working safely?

 Yes, it increases worker commitment and involvement to safety.

 Start with a positive comment, engage in a safety discussion and end with a thank
you.

QUESTION: What are some other points to remember when you are dealing with
unsafe acts?

 Keep consistent. If you address unsafe behaviors only some of the time, you will
be sending mixed messages.
 Always positively reinforce safe behavior or it may disappear.
 Don’t jump to conclusions, unsafe behavior is not always deliberate. The worker
may be tired, distracted, rushed or insufficiently trained.
 If you continue to recognize unsafe behavior, issue a verbal warning and say that
you may be forced to take disciplinary action if safety rules aren’t followed.
 Be sure to always document the discussions and any related actions.