SafetyXChange Presents...

Your Weekly Training Handbook

52 Tips for Safety Trainers

safety

X change

the online community for safety pros

1
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
1

Learn your workers best learning styles

When you know how your workers learn that is, how they process information you can help them get the most out of workplace safety training. Some workers learn best by listening to instructions, while others need to study a text manual. Still others follow pictures and diagrams successfully. Your safety communication is most effective when its a mixture of discussion, written materials or visuals and a demonstration that people can actively participate in or touch.

2 3

Encourage your workers to be safety athletes

Just like professional athletes, your workers need to be trained to play safely, use personal protective equipment and maintain good physical condition to stay in the safety game. By encouraging your workers to stay fit, you will help them understand how to prevent injuries, increase their endurance and flexibility and stay alert. Do you know which sports stars are admired most by the workers on your crew? Use these professional athletes as examples of the benefits of training, fitness and safety equipment.

Encourage safety leadership

Safety in the workplace is a team effort. By tapping the potential resources your workers have to offer, you can cultivate a stronger safety culture. Recognize and be on the alert for individuals expressing an interest in safety leadership. This might help you identify the next volunteers for the safety and health committee, or someone who would be a good candidate for further education and advancement. Arrange to send your potential safety leaders to a safety course or conference.

4
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
2

Follow 12 rules for safety meeting success

Start the meeting on time. End the meeting on time. Keep the meeting straightforward and simple. Stick to your agenda. Encourage questions. If a question comes up that you cant answer, dont fake it. Find out and follow up. Rule #7 Involve participants. Rule #8 Use humor to keep peoples attention and help them remember what theyve learned. Rule #9 Show interest in your topic. Rule #10 Treat your audience with respect. Rule #11 End your meeting on a positive note. Rule #12 Honor your promises. Always follow up on any concerns. Rule Rule Rule Rule Rule Rule #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6

Using rhetorical questions in speeches i s a g re a t w a y t o k e e p t h e a u d i e n c e i n v o l v e d . D o n t y o u t h i n k t h o s e k i n d s o f questions would keep your attention?

Bo Bennett, Author and Motivational Speaker

Deal with complacency in the workplace

Complacency can be one of the greatest detractors from workplace safety, leading to inattention and injuries. Challenge workers regularly to remain safe on the job. You can do this with incentive programs, individual goal setting or safety awareness campaigns. Its also a good idea to reinforce group training in individual on-the-job situations. Individual work instructions are very effective when delivered immediately in response to an unsafe work practice.

6
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
3

Provide effective orientation for new workers

To keep new workers safe, employers must be very clear on performance expectations and adherence to safety requirements. For new, inexperienced, returning or transferred workers, your orientation should include: An introduction to managers, human resources personnel, supervisors and co-workers; A tour of the facility; and An introduction to the job and duties, including health and safety issues. New workers should also be assigned an experienced buddy to help them stay safe and answer health- and safety-related questions.

7 8

Reinforce positive safety behavior

Reinforcing positive safety behavior can have an enormous impact on your safety program. Instead of always focusing on the problems, focus also on the accomplishments. Identify milestones that deserve recognition and celebrate these with your workers when a milestone is reached. Any leader who focuses on these factors will raise her level of credibility with her team and enjoy the benefits of a positive work culture.

Learn how to lighten up

A sense of humor is an important asset for a safety supervisor. It can be especially useful when conducting safety training. Laughter can reduce tension and relieve stress. It can help you get the substance of the safety message across. Trainers who use humor to convey information are generally more effective in getting their audience to accept and remember their message.

9
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
4

Pay attention to your habits

There are a number of habits we could work on to improve our safety awareness and limit injuries. A good first start is to dedicate one day to making a conscious effort to look at what you and your workers are doing all the time. Really look. Youll be surprised how often you dont watch where you walk, for example, and how much opportunity you have for improvement.

10 11

Befriend your maintenance staff

If you want to get the bigger picture of your shop-wide safety situation, open the lines of communication with your maintenance staff. You should be talking to the people who repair, install, tune up and paint. Theyre usually the first to see flaws, cracks, breaks, sags and smoke. Teach them to think beyond the components and consider how doing quality work and sharing information with the safety supervisor makes the work environment better for everyone.

Keep your shiftworkers safe

Shiftworkers face a host of challenges, including physical and mental fatigue, digestive problems, stress and a feeling of isolation from family, friends and the community. Research also suggests that shiftworkers are at greater risk for injuries. Here are some ways you can help: Schedule safety training so that shiftworkers can attend; Provide access to nutritious meals; Provide checklists to accommodate fatigue; Address personal security concerns; and Keep schedules consistent.

12
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
5

Address off-the-job seasonal safety

For most workers, the workplace environment is controlled, with safety rules in place and workers performing familiar tasks. Off the job, however, the environment is much more lax, safety rules are often disregarded or unknown and people perform tasks theyre unfamiliar with. Keep workers aware of off-the-job hazards by addressing these topics in your safety meetings: Winter driving; Holiday safety; Recreational safety; and Lawn and garden work.

13 14

Include safety tours in your regular safety meetings

As part of a safety meeting, take a tour of the work area with your crew. Encourage everyone to point out hazards, and make definite plans for correcting them as soon as possible. The more you and your workers discuss and investigate workplace hazards and unsafe practices, the safer everyone will be. So start your own safety investigation and encourage your workers to make it part of their daily practice.

Involve workers in job safety analyses

A job safety analysis (JSA) is not always best left only to a safety supervisor. Your workers experience in doing a job gives them superb knowledge of what can go wrong from a safety and health standpoint. While some hazards can be obvious to everyone, many workers probably encounter situations that havent been considered by others. Your workers insights are vital. Conducting a JSA is also valuable as a training guide for new employees, a refresher for existing employees and as a tool for determining why an incident happened.

15
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
6

Look to your first aid kit for signs of near misses

Having trouble encouraging workers to report near misses? Consider using a logging process for the first aid kits in work areas. This will let you keep track of minor injuries that workers would not normally consider reporting. Keep the logging process extremely brief, simply recording the date and the cause, and a checklist of minor results. You can then analyze the logs to determine if there are near miss issues that are not being reported or if a potentially serious situation needs to be addressed or investigated more closely.

If you worry about the cost of training staff and having them leave, consider the cost of not training them and havi n g t h e m s t a y.
Jim Sullivan, Retail Sales Consultant

16

Promote health and fitness on the job

Any day is a good day to spread awareness about workplace health and fitness. Encourage your workers to focus on workplace health and fitness by: Coordinating an activity for everyone to participate in at lunch hour. Even a simple walk around the block counts; Providing fruit and granola bars to promote healthy choices; or Combining forces with other businesses in your area to plan a joint event. (This could also provide great networking opportunities.)

17
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
7

Use cognitive techniques to visualize safety

Cognitive behavioral methods are essential for sustaining lasting change related to safety, health and environmental improvement, for both management and line employees. One of the cognitive techniques thats been proven effective is called visualization. You can use visualization to teach people safe strategies. Have them visualize safe practices and their outcomes. Such internal preparation allows people to evaluate potential events and consequences for themselves and others.

18 19

Use quotes to liven up a safety presentation

Quotes are usually used to introduce or support a premise made in a presentation, sales pitch or advertisement. But if youre using quotes solely in that context, you could be overlooking an enlightening aid. Quotations are indispensable tools in crafting presentations, both at the brainstorming stage and as a framework for writing them. Find quotations on various subjects such as procrastination, planning and goal setting to help you create a different kind of presentation that will capture your audiences interest.

Tear down language barriers in your workplace

Consider the safety signs, labels, material safety data sheets, operators manuals and other written materials your workers must read every day. Now consider how dangerous the workplace must be for workers who cant read all of the material. To help workers with English as a second language, offer translated training materials and include lots of illustrations.

20
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
8

Help workers with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder be safer and more productive
People with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can sometimes find it difficult to remember information, follow directions, concentrate and complete work on time. These few strategies may help workers with ADHD be safer and more productive: Allow workers to complete demanding tasks when they are most alert. For the majority of workers, this is in the morning; Schedule boring, repetitive tasks in small chunks throughout the day; Be flexible. Allow workers to work in private and/or away from distractions; and Provide a detailed to-do list employees can use to stay on track.

Always acknowledge a fault. This will t h ro w t h o s e i n a u t h o r i t y o f f t h e i r g u a rd and give you an opportunity to commit m o re .
M a r k Tw a i n

21

Encourage social ties to reduce workplace violence

Safety supervisors must understand and be aware of the signs of workplace violence, identify those who display them and anticipate problems before they erupt. Mentally disturbed and potentially violent people often lack a social safety net. So one thing supervisors can do to prevent violence is to encourage employees to maintain strong social networks at work. Peers have a way of anticipating disaster before it happens.

22
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
9

Follow email etiquette

Effective communication is an essential skill for safety professionals. Whether youre communicating through an internal memo, safety training or in person, its important to ensure that your message is understood. This is just as important when youre sending a message electronically. Remember these tips when sending email correspondence: Write a specific subject line; Get to the point fast; Use plain language; Be courteous; Be professional; and Include your current contact information.

The not but and

Illiterate of the 21st century will b e t h o s e w h o c a n n o t re a d o r w r i t e , those who cannot learn, unlearn re l e a r n .
A l v i n To f f l e r

23

Tailor cold weather safety training to your worksite

Its not just the road thats slippery in winter. Remind your workers that loading docks, stairways, equipment yards, parking lots and other areas of your plant or facility can also become icy. Adapt your safety meeting to the particular fall hazards that are common to your work crew. Do they have to get in and out of vehicles in icy weather? Must they walk along loading ramps to do their jobs? Check your worksite for areas that could be a particular hazard in the cold weather and discuss them in your meeting.

24
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
10

Promote emergency preparedness in three steps

Remember these basic steps when addressing emergency preparedness with your workers: Step 1. Review your companys emergency response procedures and policies with workers. Ensure that all employees (including new and returning workers) have received orientation and training in these procedures. Step 2. Use internal communications tools such as handouts, posters, newsletters and intranets to update workers on emergency plans and procedures. Step 3. Schedule regular drills and exercises to keep your workers prepared for the unexpected.

25 26

Stage a phony fatality

Many safety trainers have a hard time simply getting their workers to listen. And companies with low incident rates are the worst, because workers dont see a need for lectures, rules, PPE, etc. Consider staging a phony fatality to drive home the importance of safety to your workers. Be as realistic as you can. Read a mock obituary, read an accident report, discuss the investigations and fines and lawsuits that could occur, and make sure to read out the effects this fatality would have on the family members and their well-being. It may not be a cheery and upbeat safety meeting, but it will be unusual, and it will really get workers attention when other methods failed.

Learn the signs of underlying conflict

Avoiding conflict isnt always possible, but there are ways to control potentially explosive situations. People often feel safe bringing up certain issues that are, in fact, a mask for the real sources of conflict. At times, they arent aware of the real source of conflict or are not sure of how to bring it up. Typical signs of underlying conflict are chronic complaining, increased levels of stress, unnecessary competitiveness, absenteeism, failure to accomplish much, retaliation and undermining comments between team members.

27
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
11

Boost your own morale and combat compromise

Its not easy being a safety supervisor. Sometimes the job can feel like a never-ending, uphill struggle. You get tired. When this happens, you may become susceptible to having your standards erode. You dont fight as hard for change; compromise creeps into the picture. To help you maintain momentum, consider joining an organization or professional society to make contacts and friends in the safety field. Subscribe to publications that inform, instruct and reinforce you. These little steps will help you keep your proper focus and direction.

M a n a g e m e n t i s n o t h i n g m o re t h a n m o t i vating other people.

Lee Iacocca

28

Warn workers of dangers of prescription and over-the-counter drugs

Allergies, certain medical conditions and colds and flus are often treated with prescription and over-the-counter medications. The side effects of some of these common medications can include drowsiness and slow or impaired functioning, which ultimately can lead to a workplace injury or even a fatality. Schedule a safety meeting with your workers to remind them of the side effects and potential dangers of working while taking these medications. Be sure to stress the importance of reading labels, alerting supervisors to medication use, taking medications as prescribed and, if necessary, canceling their shift.

29
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
12

Promote food safety in the workplace lunchroom

Following food safety guidelines can help prevent foodborne illnesses and the breakroom is a great place to remind workers of these guidelines. Cleanliness is vital to food safety, so remind everyone to help keep things cleaned up, including food preparation surfaces, containers and utensils. And dont forget the breakroom refrigerator, which can also be a source of food contamination. Its also a good idea to place posters that promote handwashing in your restrooms and breakrooms.

30 31

Encourage sick employees to just stay home

When sick employees show up for work, theyre not only less productive, they also expose co-workers to illnesses, effectively reducing the companys overall productivity. They also jeopardize their own safety and that of everyone around them. Many employees still go to work when theyre sick and may have a contagious disease. Why? For some, its the fear of being fired or looking bad. Others deny that they are indeed sick or dismiss the symptoms as nothing serious. Supervisors need to emphasize to workers that no onenot the boss, not the company president and not their co-workerswill hold it against them for staying home when they are legitimately sick. It is better to keep the disease localized and not spread it to others than to try to be a hero and come to work at less than full efficiency.

Learn to spot ergonomic dangers

Supervisor intervention can be very effective in the prevention of ergonomics injuries, such as strained backs, rotator cuff injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome. Many of these injuries develop gradually over time and are preceded by signs or symptoms that a supervisor is ideally positioned to detect. Learn the signs, symptoms and prevention techniques, and intervene early to ensure that a worker at risk doesnt actually suffer an injury.

32
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
13

Dont overdo your safety messages

Safety reminders and messages generally do improve cultures and outcomes. But there comes a point when efforts may fail to improveand possibly even harmsafety results. Workers can become frustrated with too many safety procedures and too much information. This is especially true if theyre dealing with overwhelming responsibilities or feel too pressured to produce, while also dealing with complicated safety requirements. At that point they may begin cutting corners on safety, either deliberately or subconsciously. To avoid overwhelming your workers, look for ways to simplify safety. Try to provide the appropriate amount of information in an easily understandable wayneither too little nor too much. A good safety program is important and training is critical. Dont let information overload undermine your efforts.

33

Help workers with dyslexia process safety information

Most people suffering from dyslexia are highly creative, original thinkers. Theyre not slow learners, but rather simply learn differently. These tips may make it easier for those in your workplace with dyslexia to process information, including safety training and instructions: Use colored paper and a font size of 12 or more for handouts. White paper reflects light and is difficult to read; Use diagrams, pictures and hands-on material whenever possible, especially on safety signage; Use clear, simple language in all communication; Avoid jargon, abbreviations, acronyms and industry slang; Provide training material in a video and audio format; and Provide instructions verbally and ask employees to repeat them back.

34
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
14

Focus your safety incentive program on actions

When implementing a safety incentive program, make sure you thoughtfully identify what actions you want to encourage. Rewards that do not require actions are not really rewards and will be quickly viewed as entitlements. Each item on your action list should be measurable and verifiable. Consider defining what actions employees can take to help develop a high performance safety culture, such as joining the safety committee or leading a training session.

Change your thoughts and you change your world.

N o r m a n Vi n c e n t P e a l e , Author/Theologian

35

Dont know the answer to a workers concern? Respond anyway

Nobody has all the answers. There will be times when you dont have an immediate answer to a concern a worker brings to your attention. But its important that you still respond. Otherwise, the problem will fester and complicate things. And if workers perceive the safety leader as being unresponsive, they may stop reporting their concerns. All concerns deserve a response, even the ones you perceive to be minor. If you dont have an immediate solution, use the resources within your organization to address the problem. For example, if you dont 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.

36
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
15

Use 5 leadership qualities to motivate others

1. When you give instructions, set clear expectations. Outline the results you expect. 2. People need meaningful work. Provide workers with variety and responsibility to keep them motivated. 3. Listen to the opinions of others. 4. Praise people for their efforts. 5. Include others. Ask workers for their advice.

37 38

To sell safety, you need a clear vision

How can you get your safety programs adopted by your organization? The first step is to develop the mindset necessary to be a successful advocate for your initiatives. Look inward. Be clear about your vision. What do you want to accomplish? Where and how do you truly want to make a difference? To engage and gain the commitment of management, you must first identify what you truly value and your own level of commitment to that vision.

Broadcast safety improvements

Do your workers see you as the enemy trying to impede their progress? Or do they see you as someone dedicated to a safer work environment, fighting for everyones safety every day? To create a vibrant safety culture, your workers need to see and feel the companys commitment to providing a safe and healthy work environment. Let workers know when improvements or changes have been made in the name of safety. This will demonstrate managements dedication to safety.

39
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
16

Make time to have a little fun

Dont get into such a hurry that you cant share a joke with a crew member or fire back a wisecrack to another team leader. Even during a busy workday, you can spare the few seconds required for humor. Humor is, of course, subjective. Like anything else, it must be enjoyed in moderation and with the right degree of decorum. Keep it safe by laughing at yourself and never at others. Remember that a remark that might be amusing coming from a co-worker can sound insulting coming from a supervisor. And, of course, avoid racist and sexist comments. But as long as you respect the boundaries, youre bound to make your workplace not only more safe, but more pleasant.

40 41

Dont let training aids control your presentations

Whatever training aid you choose for your presentations, dont let it steal your show. For example, instead of repeating whats on a PowerPoint slide, use the slide only to reinforce an important point. And go where the class takes you. Instructors who are not very familiar with their topic tend to use the presentation tool as a crutch. They dont pay attention to the class dynamics, such as dealing with questions as they arise. The worst thing a presenter can say is, hold on to that question and well address it later. If someone has a question, answer it right away. This is a learning moment!

Let workers make themselves comfortable

The location of your safety meetings can affect how comfortable your audience members are. Consider whether the meetings will be on the workers turf or the managements. Although workers might be physically comfortable in a conference room, they also might be psychologically uncomfortable and distracted. Encourage participants to push their chairs away from the table and get comfortable. Even if they can only move their chairs a few inches, psychologically it becomes more their space.

42
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
17

Keep your emotions under control

Sometimes you may have to deal with a crisis or a controversy in the workplace. Learn how to control your emotions in the interest of the greater good, even in the face of difficult circumstances. It is in moments like these that you must demonstrate your passion for safety, confidence in your efforts and faith in the system. Its not simply your own sanity at stake. Leadership demands that you send the appropriate message to your workers. Never forget for a second that workers are looking to you for answers and an example to follow.

43 44

Use the annual inventory as a safety opportunity

During the annual inventory, your plant may be getting cleaned in areas normally overlooked. This can be a gold mineor a landminefor safety! This is a great chance to uncover hazards that have been lurking beneath the surface throughout the year, such as unlabeled chemicals, worn or broken fixtures, extension cords, etc. But you can only take advantage of these discoveries if youre physically present and have specifically asked your lead people to bring these items to your attention.

Make your safety committee effective through leadership

Safety committees cant get things done if their meetings lack cohesion, structure and a spirit of cooperation. Safety committees need leadership. And it often falls on safety supervisors to provide it. One of the best ways to meet this challenge is to set down an agenda and a set of guidelines and parameters for meetings. When you impose order, you defuse confrontation and allow the members to focus on the important thing: protecting workers health and safety.

45
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
18

During times of change, keep the focus on safety

Consciously or unconsciously, during a period of transition, a companys energy, focus, attention and resources are transferred to other priorities. Its therefore important that the safety, health and well-being of employees be included in a companys vision or ideal state. And this vision must be translated into everyday activities, so that injuries do not occur during these challenging times.

46 47

Put training into practice right away

Safety training is relevant only when it is applied. If there is no opportunity to put the training into use, there is really no learning, nor even purpose for the training. To see if your safety training has been effective, give workers the opportunity to experience firsthand what they have been taught.

After a conflict, apologize

Apologizing for making a mean or inappropriate comment or a mistake is good manners, and good manners do mean something. It takes a big person to admit when shes wrong. And it takes a wise leader to know how to do it correctly. So, if sorry is really the hardest word, how should we say it? Say what you did wrong; Say youre sorry and make it heartfelt; Accept the consequences and let the person vent without interruption; Make it right and correct the problem; and Follow up your words with deeds. A simple act of atonement such as a pizza or a round of soft drinks at lunch will help to make the apology go down a lot easier.

48
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
19

Encourage off-the-job safety in three easy steps

1. Provide PPE: Offer personal protective equipment to employees who have weekend projects planned. Even if its just limited to safety goggles and earplugs, the offer of PPE for off-the-job activities reinforces the need to use them. 2. Provide Manuals: Compile a library or identify sources of owners manuals for power equipment. With a company safety library, an employee can quickly find how to safely use a particular piece of equipment. 3. Provide Training: Many people undertake home maintenance in the springtime, so you might consider offering training on power tool safety basics. Or in November, before workers start stringing up the holiday lights, you can provide demonstrations on how to safely use a ladder.

It takes less time to do a thing right than it does to explain why you did it w ro n g .
H e n r y Wa d s w o r t h L o n g f e l l o w

49

Dont forget the safety of your visitors

Like most companies, you probably have a well developed workplace safety policy to protect your workers. But does that policy cover visitors who come to your facilities? Failure to account for visitors is a huge blind spot that can lead not only to injuries but liability. Remember these points: Require all visitors to sign in and out before entering and leaving the workplace; Let visitors know theyll be notified of hazards and emergency procedures when they log in (or soon afterwards); Tell visitors that they must use appropriate personal protective equipment and list what that is; and List the rules of conduct visitors must follow, e.g., no touching equipment, no smoking, no horseplay, no entering restricted areas, etc.

50
52 Tips for Safety Trainers
20

Learn to love public speaking

Many safety trainers experience stage fright. But you can reduce your fear by changing how you think about public speaking. Try this three-step process: 1. Recognize the fear and acknowledge it exists. Just admit it to yourself. 2. Reject the fear by making a conscious choice. 3. Replace stage fright with stage delight. Thats what executive speaking coach Matthew Cossolotto calls the feeling you get when you shift your focus away from your own selfconsciousness. He recommends you pay attention instead to the connection with your audience, the way you would in a oneto-one conversation.

51 52

Use games in your safety meetings

When safety meetings are fun, they are interesting and the participants are likely to remember what they learned. Safety games are one way to accomplish this. Try basing a safety game on Trivial Pursuit. Use the game board and similar rules, but make the questions about safety. Or give answers and require the participants to say the question, Jeopardy-style. You can divide your workers into teams to answer questions with some good-natured rivalry. You could also try a Scrabble game, limited to safety and health words.

Energize your training sessions

Remember that you are the biggest factor in the energy level of your class. During your training sessions, make sure you are animated. Add interest to your voice using inflection, pitch and volume. And dont take yourself too seriously. Have fun with your delivery and your students will have fun, too.

 Bongarde Media Co. 102-501 Main Street, Penticton BC. 103 Eastside Oroville Road, Oroville WA