Safety is a top concern in a number of industries, including manufacturing. Keeping your staff safe involves more than complying with the letter of safety regulations. The safest companies also have a culture that supports and promotes safe practices.
Here’s how to build a safety culture that encourages good habits and helps team members keep themselves and one another free of injury.
1. Lead Constructively
Workers who fear they will be punished for mistakes are more likely to try to cover up those mistakes, rather than to correct the error. When mistakes are covered up instead of fixed, they can pose safety risks to everyone on the team. When issues arise, focus on fixing the problem, rather than assigning blame, and encourage everyone involved to do the same.
2. Check in With Staff
Taking a few moments each day to check in with your staff can help managers spot and address problems early, before they lead to a potential safety problem. Simply asking “how are you doing today?”, for instance, can help managers determine if a team member has a developing illness or a family concern that might preoccupy them or distract them from safety protocols. Managers can then ensure that these staff members have a bit of extra support in order to avoid accidents.
3. Hire With Safety in Mind
When screening and interviewing candidates, prioritize the search for candidates with strong safety records. Seek candidates with experience being responsible for team or workplace safety. During interviews, ask candidates how they’ve dealt with safety risks in the past and what they learned from the experience.
Hiring with safety in mind helps to build and maintain a safety-minded team culture. Your new hires bring their focus to the team, creating a “new norm” of focus on safety. Talk to your recruiter for more ways to build a culture of safety within your organization and to find the people you need to support these endeavors.
Eclipse Professional Services supports companies through out North Texas with Skilled Industrial Labor in the Logistics, Manufacturing and Warehousing skills sets on Temp To Hire basis. Contact us at 214.331.7502, if you are looking for new opportunities or to increase the capacity of your work force.
