Tag Archives: communication

General Safety Issues

DOES YOUR SAFETY LEADER INSPIRE YOU TO BE SAFE?

Back in January, we presented an article, “How would you grade your safety leader?”  We listed the attributes that we felt described good leaders – ones that led by example.  A great President and leader, Dwight Eisenhower said, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”  If you want to see real safety improvements, you need to motivate your team to want to be safe – even when no one is looking.  You must add leadership to your safety training. 

Although some people are born leaders, the rest of us can learn from them and gain leadership skills through the right training.  We have now completed the first five months of 2011, and have you wondered, how is our training program progressing?  Safety is learned through both training and experience.  A goal that everyone should live with, is “Nobody Gets Hurt.”  This must be the mantra of every company, being committed to rigorous safety programs that ensure that every worker is motivated to work safely so they can go home to their families every day, without injury. 

Safety leaders must have the safety of every worker in mind, which is sometimes a hard task.  Here are some goals for good leaders:

  1. Communication.  Learn all you can about your style of communication and how it affects others.  Do you have a positive reaction from those around you?  A course in interpersonal skills can help.  Being able to accurately convey your thoughts and ideas to those working for you is a key element of leadership.  Remember, your employees are not mind-readers; they have to understand exactly what you are wanting.  When you communicate well, employees can give good feedback to you.  Be sure you present the complete “big picture.”
  2. Teamwork.  Become a part of the team.  Encourage employees to make certain decisions without you, so you can exhibit your trust in them.  Great leaders can accomplish great things, and show appreciation to the people who made those things happen.
  3. Motivation.  Do not try to give instructions through intimidation: “If you mess up, something bad will happen.”  This can cause much resentment, and little success with the job.  Rather, challenge them with an assignment that is just a tad bit out of their range and let them try.  If it hits a snag, coach them back until the situation becomes right.
  4. Appreciation.  It’s always better to give someone a pat on the back.  A little bit of praise for a job well done, goes a long way.
  5. Organization.  Leaders must be able to organize teams and motivate them toward the goal: A Zero-Injury Workplace!  Wouldn’t it be great if the whole team led each other to meeting that goal? 

Some workers still may not completely understand.  They sometimes take chances with safety, and may endanger other workers.  Most workers assume that their workplace is free of hazards.  These unrecognized expectations can lead to job frustration, substandard safety performance, decreased job safety commitment and even high turnover.  This is the time that leaders must learn what expectations the individuals have and work with them to meet and adjust those expectations.  For leaders, being rigorous about workplace safety is not an easy job, but it is very rewarding.  Leadership means looking for workplace hazards, not leaving it up to the safety department.  First , looking for any hazards and starting the day with a short group safety meeting might just remind everyone to work safely, so they can go home at the end of their shift.  It’s a two-way street, however, with each worker meeting the safety leader half-way.

Thanks to all the safety leaders in the workforce!  Let’s hope that the remainder of 2011 will be a “safe workplace” year!

Back Safety, General Safety Issues

HOW TO STOP DROPPING BOXES

The following article is from Guest Blogger, Ward Greunke.  He wanted to share this great information with us and our readers.  I’ve never thought about the “lift to accept” theory, but it would save lots of hassle if everyone would try it.

Have you ever handed something heavy to someone and asked, “Do you have it?” and just as they say yes, they drop it?  The reason for this is that people usually wait for heavy things to be placed in their hands and then confirm verbally that they have it so the other person can let go. Unfortunately, as the first person starts to let go, the other person might not really have a good grip.

This miscommunication happens because the verbal feedback provided does not match the physical feedback.  If someone tells you they have the box and yet you are still carrying the weight, there is a mismatch and the potential for an accident.  To solve this, box companies should provide a logo that promotes the concept of “Lift to Accept”.

Here is how it works.  When someone hands you a box, instead of saying “I have it”, just lift the box out of the other person’s hands.  The first person’s hands will immediately drop away when you lift the box and there is no verbal confusion.  This works because the first person knows that you have the box because they no longer feel the weight in their hands.  Once this happens, they are left holding air and quickly remove their hands.  By placing the label below on boxes, box companies can eliminate the mismatch between verbal feedback and physical feedback.

Safety Benefits: Catching vs lifting.

In addition to the minimized confusion, there is also a safety benefit to this technique because people will be better prepared to support the weight.  When you are trying to catch something, you prepare for any possible events.  Your feet are ready to move, your knees are bent and springy and your arms are ready to help you run.  Think of a baseball outfielder trying to guess where the ball will go.  Their stance is optimized for movement, not for strength.

When you lift, you focus on a single event.  You plant your feet, align your body and make sure that you have a good grip.  Think of a weightlifter focusing on a single lift.  They position their body for maximum strength.  This alignment of the body prepares you to lift heavy objects and can minimize injury by trying to carry something in an awkward position.  If you are picking something off a table, you use a lifting response, but if you are catching something, you use a contingency response.  In one case, you are being proactive and controlling the situation.  In the other case you are being reactive and hope for the best.  When you follow “Lift to Accept”, you are positioning your body for maximum strength and personal safety.

The “Lift to Accept” method uses non-verbal feedback as well as better prepares people to carry heavy objects.  By showing customers this method to pass items, box companies can help their customers minimize losses caused by dropped material as well as potentially reduce workplace injuries.

Thanks, Ward, for this suggestion.  I wonder how many persons utilize this method of lifting items and passing them to the next person.  You can read more of Ward’s tips at latentvalue.blogspot.com.