May 9, 2017

Workplace safety is a year-round endeavor but periodic reminders of just how important it is can be a great motivator to refresh or refocus your safety efforts. This week is one of those occasions as it marks North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) week, May 7-13. This year’s NAOSH theme is “Make Safety a Habit,” which is the most effective ways to prevent workplace accidents. To start making safety a habit in your business, and among employees, take a look at our top three tips.

Tip 1: See something, say something.

To help build a safety culture in your workplace, empower your employees to speak up. Instill the motto “See something, say something” and review the methods in place to report concerns. Building an environment of open communication supports a safe workplace so that employees feel comfortable speaking up about unsafe practices and potential safety hazards.

It should become a habit to immediately report unsafe practices or conditions, and that starts with you. All too often, safety practices can still get overlooked even when open communication is welcomed. As an employer, it takes united leadership to begin the conversation. To embrace the “See something, say something culture,” make sure your employees know when and how to report concerns, then address the issue and show appreciation that it was brought to your attention. Encourage employees to speak directly with their supervisor, but also provide resources to report to HR or to do so anonymously.

Tip 2: Be consistent.

To keep safety top of mind, hold regular meetings. It’s important to provide consistent training to give newer employees the resources they need to be safe on the job and also avoid complacency with seasoned employees with a refresher.

Also remember that habits won’t become fully formed in a quarterly meeting.  While it’s easy to cross a mandatory safety meeting off the list and wait until the next one is due, provide resources outside of the regular meetings and enforce the safety practices you are teaching. Keep your content fresh with safety resources from Texas Mutual. We offer more than 2,000 free materials and tools for policyholders, including our new e-Learning online training program, streaming videos, interactive tools, and downloadable safety programs at texasmutual.com. Even those who aren’t policyholders can take advantage of free Texas Mutual resources in our safety section.

Tip 3: Encourage wellness.

Safety and wellness go hand-in-hand. Think of the last time you weren’t feeling well at work or didn’t get enough sleep the night before. More than likely you were not on your A-game. Taking care of our bodies by drinking plenty of water, eating a balanced diet, and staying active paves the way for happier employees and sets up employees to stay alert about safety on the job. In the unfortunate event an employee is injured, a healthy lifestyle also promotes a quicker recovery.

From empowering your employees to speak up with a “See something, say something” initiative, to being consistent in your training, and encouraging your employees to live a healthy lifestyle, making safety a habit starts with you. For more safety and wellness resources, visit us here.