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5 Ways to Make the EHS Manager's Job Easier

Some of these tips might surprise you, like not counting days without a safety incident.

Safety

Safety Managers take on the hefty responsibility of keeping employees safe. They choose PPE, employ security measures, conduct training, and so much more. At Magid Glove & Safety, Susan Punter takes on this important role as the manager of environmental health and safety. Here she shares her secrets to make the safety manager's job easier: 

#1 – Don’t Reward Workers by Counting Safety Incidents. 

Counting safety incidents is typical and is something all safety managers should be doing. But rewarding workers for completing a number of days without an incident is where things get tricky. By rewarding workers for beating a safety record, you’re encouraging employees to not report safety incidents for fear of ruining the party or reward for everyone else. Instead, try a proactive rewards program by celebrating workers for reporting near-misses or unsafe acts or conditions. 

#2 – Talk About the Why 

Always talk about the why. You can give everyone a list of rules, but talking about the list of potential injuries that can result from breaking the rules is what will hit home. Have employees explain step by step what they are doing and why they are doing something. This will help everyone understand the risks involved. As a result, workers will be more willing to follow new safety measures because they will understand the dangers associated with the task at hand. 

#3 – Know What Happens When You’re Not There

Safety is what happens when nobody is watching, so It’s important to figure out what happens on the floor when you’re not there. Observe from afar, empower point people for safety, and put systems in place to create an effective safety culture that will function even when you’re not there. It’s no simple task! Learn more about how to get workers engaged and committed to safety with this Safety Matters® Resource article from Magid. 

#4 – Ask Employees What They’re Interested In 

Instead of starting every meeting with a general and bland safety tip, consider ways to spice up the tip with content that employees are interested in. This could even be a safety tip that’s not related to work. For example, a winter tip could be five items to keep in your car in case you get stranded. At Magid, we host 3–5-minute Toolbox Talks. During these talks, we let team members pick a topic that’s important to them. This can be something as simple as how to lift safely with a short demo. 

#5 – Use Your Resources 

It can be difficult to understand OSHA regulations, but the OSHA website has many resources to help break material down, such as letters of interpretation. Plus, there are plenty of free safety resources online to help with things like safety training, building your safety culture, and even choosing PPE. One example is Magid’s Safety Matters Resource Center which even offers free webinars, posters, and samples.

For more information about Magid and their safety products and services, visit www.magidglove.com.

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