As we previously discussed in our last article, Leadership Participation in Incident Investigation: An Opportunity to Communicate Safety as a Value, leadership sends a positive message about the value of worker safety by participating in serious injury incident investigations. As described in the publication Better Safety Conversations, “Every day, safety conversations take place between executives and managers, between safety professionals and workers, and—most importantly—between front-line supervisors and the workers who report to them. These conversations have great potential for improving workplace safety and health.”
Experiment with different approaches, build a library of safety phrases and stories, and have these conversations without fear.
We all can actively participate by improving our safety communication skills and recognizing the opportunities to have positive safety conversations. Experiment with different approaches, build a library of safety phrases and stories, and have these conversations without fear.
Are You Willing?
When you want to begin a safety conversation but don’t know where to start, remember these three words: Are You Willing? These words will help lead you into deeper conversations about what matters to them as a worker, leader, colleague, spouse, parent, etc, and how their actions can affect everyone around them.
Examples for how to begin safety conversations:
- Do you have kids or family at home?
- Are you willing to give up walking your daughter down the aisle?
- Are you willing to give up watching your son play sports or playing with your grandkids?
- Are you willing to be responsible for someone else losing their life?
- Unfortunately, when you put yourself at risk of injury or illness, you are taking chances and you’re willing to give all that up.
- I’d like to talk to you about something important. Let’s review the safest way to do this task, so you and your team are not at risk of getting hurt.
- I respect your experience and want to make sure nobody is injured, so I’d like to work with you to address this issue.
- Can we talk about what I’m seeing and figure out a better way to do it?
Be an Example
In order for a culture of safety to grow and prosper, leaders of all levels need to set the standard and live as the example they want employees to embody.
How do you lead safety conversations with your staff?