June is traditionally recognized as National Safety Month in the business world. It’s a great time to continue to raise awareness, discuss current trends in safety (COVID 19, anyone?), and refocus our efforts.
But what changes on July 1? The correct answer should be…nothing. Every company, every industrial site, every construction project all share the same goal. No incidents and 100% workforce safety. So, now that National Safety Month is over, what are you and your organization doing differently? Here are a few suggestions we’ve gotten from our clients:
1. Focus on something new each month
The time of year can assist your team in helping focus. July in Texas is HOT! So, hydration and heat awareness might be an excellent area of safety focus. Regardless, by focusing on a new safety topic each month, your site is more likely to remain engaged in the process of improving safety.
2. What’s happening at your place of work?
If you have a turnaround or construction underway, contractor safety may be especially important. How does your organization measure contractor safety?
Is there new safety leadership onsite or at corporate? New leadership often brings new energy and a new set of eyes and ears. We have a lot to learn from a new view of safety in our workplace.
3. Friendly competition
Can your site or sites find a contest to both reinforce safety as a core value and affect real change? inFRONT has one customer that gives an annual award to the site that presents the most effective and innovative safety solution. Each site presents its entry, the top five are chosen and the winner is celebrated throughout the company. The winning solution is celebrated, announced to the shareholders and the general public, and adopted company-wide as a best practice. What a great way to build safety and success in the culture!
4. Plan for the future
Depending on your company’s financial calendar, it may be time to start thinking about next year’s budget for safety and readiness. Were there specific gaps identified in the last year? Has your team prioritized the top 3 or 5?
None of these suggestions is revolutionary, but safety is a continuous improvement process. By refocusing regularly, maintaining awareness of site activity, and creating some fun in the process, the upward trend of safety and readiness can help ensure that everyone goes home safely.