A PROACTIVE APPROACH – This is what we discussed today during our weekly Safety Meeting. This method allows you to spot dangers before it’s too late, the opposite of a reactive approach.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF OR TO DISCUSS WITH A SAFETY MANAGER:
Do you have the right equipment?
Are the facilities, tools, and hardware fit for their purpose?
Are the procedures, policies, processes, software, easy to use and follow?
Do you have the right people with the right training and the the right mindset?
Is this being done correctly?
Is there a better way to do this task?
STEPS TO TAKE FOR A PROACTIVE APPROACH
- Monitor, evaluate, adjust as work progresses. Conditions and environments are always changing.
- Create a safety committee to review safety performance on all projects. Include all employees from all levels of the business.
- Investigate all accidents and near misses to identify the root causes. Focus on how and why the accidents or near misses occurred.
- Conduct routine safety audits either internally by the safety manager or hiring an outside third-party to review your safety program and practices.
- Inspection and job hazard analysis programs.
Improvements are best made when everyone at the workplaces is invested in them. Specific questions regarding work activity will encourage everyone to get involved and work together to come up with efficient workable solutions. Taking a proactive versus reactive safety approach in the workplace can save a company thousands of dollars – and more importantly it can protect the lives of its workers.
