Effective Safety Meetings Juan Sanchez / Brent Hillard www.concrete-pipe.org

What Is A Safety Meeting A brief (15-20 minutes) discussion with employees about safety hazards that exist in their work environment. The goal of the meeting is to educate employees about the hazards so as to reduce or eliminate injuries www.concrete-pipe.org

Purpose of Meetings Promote Safety Awareness : Motivation of employees Sharing of ideas & suggestions Discussion of safety standards Establish communication Demonstrates management’s concern for safety www.concrete-pipe.org

Meeting Presenter Safety Meetings Can Be Conducted By Anyone Employee Why is this so beneficial? Supervisor Plant Manager Safety and Health Manager Outside Speaker Fire departments Companies that supply safety equipment (Cintas) OSHA / EPA www.concrete-pipe.org

Attendance Strive for 100% Mandate attendance from all employees. For absent employees - Make up missed information. Upper management should be present for the safety meeting and take a participatory role. www.concrete-pipe.org

Preparation Know the Topic: Don’t let the meeting be the 1st time you looked at it. Review, be the expert Highlight some important areas Be sure to check any visual aids, videos, hand-outs, etc. before the meeting begins. Keep meetings brief and to the point. Avoid reading to your employees www.concrete-pipe.org

Be Specific – At Work, At Home. Preparation Be Specific – At Work, At Home. If the topic doesn’t apply to your employees, choose something else - Do not pick too broad of a topic Remember, safety isn’t just for the workplace; you may also address safety at home. www.concrete-pipe.org

Preparation Meeting Set-Up Comfortable, non-distracting environment. Find a restful location where workers can relax, sit and concentrate on the meeting Eliminate Distractions (if possible) Machinery Compressors Windows Use Props or Visual Aids Expired fire extinguishers Flip charts Unlabeled bottles (chemical or water) Position Your Group Seat people as you need to make the meeting effective www.concrete-pipe.org

Execution – Your Time to Shine Lead It, DON’T Read It! Welcome your employees and thank them for their time and attention Be specific about how it applies to the workplace Encourage discussion with/among the employees Share your personal stories and experiences and encourage employees to share theirs www.concrete-pipe.org

Execution – Your Time to Shine Ask, Don’t Tell Never tell them something that they can tell you Encourages involvement and ownership. www.concrete-pipe.org

Execution – Your Time to Shine Engage the Audience Ask Open-Ended Questions Avoid Yes and No Avoid single word Ask Reflective Questions Stimulate listeners What are their solutions Be truthful Questions Research More time www.concrete-pipe.org

Execution – Your Time to Shine Presentation Skills 101: Eye Contact Shift your focus frequently. Project your Voice Make sure they can hear you in the back. Move Around (if possible) Changes the focal point of the employees Are they paying attention? Body Language Beware of yours and pay attention to theirs Find the Friendly Faces Who's buying in? Helps engagement of others www.concrete-pipe.org

Follow Through – Carry the Message back to the Floor Ask for Feedback On the topic. On the meeting. On how the employee will apply the information to their job. WRITE SUGGESTIONS AND FEEDBACK DOWN! This lets your employees know that their feedback is important and will be taken into consideration. www.concrete-pipe.org

Make sure the message has been received Other Ideas Make the topic personal Family, personal experiences Encourage employees to share stories Call on individual employees Mix it up, don’t call on the same person Helps attentiveness and participation Demonstrate Acting, role playing, hands on demonstrations Make sure the message has been received www.concrete-pipe.org

Conclusion Tell your employees Thank your employees They are the experts They are unique Compliment on safety efforts, be genuine Thank your employees Time and attention Suggestions for next meeting www.concrete-pipe.org

A Point to Remember People learn best by interacting with information: Through discussion Through hands-on experience People remember: 20% of what they hear 30% of what they see 50% of what the hear & see 80% of what they hear, see, & experience www.concrete-pipe.org

Questions? www.concrete-pipe.org