A common challenge for safety professionals is getting employees and supervisors more involved in safety. They may not understand the value or they may focus on production. Perhaps the question should not be, “how do we get everyone to participate?” but rather, “how can we get them to CHOOSE to participate?”

Employers commonly offer incentives like a pizza party, prizes, or similar methods to get employees more involved. Those efforts can help demonstrate that the company values safety. Unfortunately, some employees return to the job without increasing their involvement. Consider showing them how safety impacts them personally.

The company might pay the cost of injuries, but workers pay the price, and you don’t want them getting hurt. To help everyone choose to support safety, they need to understand how safety benefits them. Let employees know, “We do this for you!” Show workers how safety benefits them, not just the company’s bottom line.

Encouraging safe behaviors may require encouraging everyone to think about the consequences. That means not only describing what could happen, but explaining the impacts on their lives. Even minor injuries can impact their personal lives.