Ergonomic Fix Ergonomics team changed design of part to completely eliminate this hazard No change in cost of part & cost savings of labor alone is $25,000 per year

Welcome I am Kevin Welch. For the last 2 years I have been the Safety Manager for Demco Manufacturing. I have been a part of the Demco Team for around 19 years.

Safety is the most important thing I do at Demco. It takes priority over any of my other job duties. But most of my other job duties in some way have something to do with safety. How do I approach Safety I like to mix things up and keep everyone guessing. Believe me that keeps some people very nervous.

One of the goals that I set for myself, was to prove that safety awareness does not have to cost the company an arm and a leg. A smart person never hesitates to steal a good idea. Hopefully you will get some new ideas from this and make them your own.

OK Moving forward. I have a little game I play that has gone over well. I Named it: Going against the rules. How does it work: By not wearing my safety shields on my glasses or climbing on the outside of parts tubs

I will do this until someone stops me and says something. I then give them a five dollar gift certificate to eat dinner at one of the local food places. Now I am going to do that for awhile, then I am going to have someone else do it.

Once they are asked about why they are not following the rules, the game is on. I am doing it this way because as we all know the rumor mill is the best, fastest and most remembered form of information there is on the floor.

As the word gets out, everyone will start asking everyone else about what they see other employees doing that is not safe. Thinking they could win a free meal. The only thing that can come from that is good safety awareness. You don’t even have to take them off the floor to do it.

If you really want them to watch things every so often throw in a $20 or $50 dollar bill. That really wakes them up. Watching what you are doing and knowing your surroundings is always very important. Now remember, you are in total control of how much this costs and it virtually takes no time.

Because when you are in a hurry it really pays to look around.

Don’t let your employees just make do. Make sure they have and use the right equipment !!

This is what can happen if the employee just makes do.

Now saving money doesn’t have to be life threatening. life threatening. Next Game: Pick a couple employees and give them Pick a couple employees and give them two weeks to come up with a ten minute two weeks to come up with a ten minute talk on the safety topic of the month. talk on the safety topic of the month.

You help them get the material for the topic and they do the studying. They are given 30 minute one week and 30 minute the next week to get ready. They each give a five minute talk on the topic.

Once they are done giving their talk, other employees are motivated to get involved. You will find that the employees can’t wait for their turn. This is an excellent way to keep their heads in the game. Here again this costs very little, but pays back big.

One more low cost game. All you need is some company stuff like shirts, caps, coffee cups, gift certificates for rolls. ( I say rolls because that is something that will be shared at work. Everyone is going to ask where they came from and that is how they will keep talking about the game.) All you need is some company stuff like shirts, caps, coffee cups, gift certificates for rolls. ( I say rolls because that is something that will be shared at work. Everyone is going to ask where they came from and that is how they will keep talking about the game.)

Also a good place to get your prizes from is all of your vendors. If you are like most companies you don’t take the stuff that your vendors offer because it can’t be given out fairly. Which amazes me. But this is what you hear “Why did they get something for free and I didn’t.”

Your vendors give away some really cool stuff. You need to go to the person that makes the decisions about that stuff and explain that you would like to use these items as prizes. This makes it fair for everyone. Now you have a prize pool that costs nothing.

When you get some items in from the vendors like drills, knives, calculators, tickets to different events you now can play the game. Get your camera and let’s go!!

Head into your shop or office area when nobody is looking. Take a picture of a work area. Head into your shop or office area when nobody is looking. Take a picture of a work area. Then post the picture in one or more places. Whatever you think will work the best. This will be different from place to place. Now have the employees try find everything that is unsafe with that picture. FOR EXAMPLE

Wrong type of Fire extinguisher Electrical Panel is blocked Fire extinguisher is blocked

Open door with no guard rail High value items by open door. Fire Extinguisher is blocked EXIT door is blocked Fluorescent Light is below 7’ and needs to have a guard on it

The person that finds the most is the winner. You can decide what they win and how often the game is played. You can play it by the department, location or everyone. Just as long as everyone gets a chance at the same amount of prizes. You can play it by the department, location or everyone. Just as long as everyone gets a chance at the same amount of prizes. In the case of a tie you draw from a deck of cards for the winner.

What’s this going to promote? A cleaner and safer work area. It will show the employees what can’t lie on the floor because it cause a tripping hazard. It will also show what can cause a fire or explosion. The work areas will stay cleaner because they won’t want you taking pictures of their work station.

THE END