Addressing unsafe behaviors and offering solutions
After years of enforcing safety rules, it may seem odd that injuries still happen. You may need to address certain behaviors or conditions that influence behaviors. Correcting employees requires pointing out what’s wrong, but you should also offer a solution or positive behavior to follow.
Some factors that may cause unsafe behaviors, along with possible solutions, include:
Apathy or anti-authority: Some workers don’t care about safety, maybe because they’ve never been hurt. Similarly, some workers push back against authority or rules.
Solution: During safety meetings, review injuries that could have been prevented if safe procedures had been followed. Show how safety rules benefit workers, and they control whether they get injured.
Unsure: When workers are uncertain, they may err on the side of safety, or they may guess ... and guess wrong. For various reasons, workers may be reluctant to ask for clarification or assistance.
Solution: Reinforce that safety is a priority, and that asking for help supports that priority. Making assumptions can cause injuries.
Uncomfortable: Some duties may be uncomfortable or physically demanding, so a worker rushes to get the job done, possibly shortcutting safety.
Solution: Allow additional breaks, rotate workers through difficult tasks, or identify other options to reduce the discomfort of a challenging task.
Hurrying: Working quickly can be a positive, but should never jeopardize safety. Watch for this when workers are under pressure, or near the end of the day.
Solution: Acknowledge that productivity is important, but emphasize that deliberation and safety are equally important and must not be compromised.
Drowsy: Fatigue or certain medications can affect judgment and decision-making, reaction time, and the ability to recognize hazards.
Solution: Encourage workers to self-report problems (like a bad night’s sleep) that might affect their ability to work safely.
Many behaviors can be corrected if you watch for them. Get out on the floor, hold safety meetings, and lead by example. Frequently talk to workers, observe how they’re doing their jobs, and pay attention to factors or signs that might lead to unsafe behavior.
