You strive to create a safe work environment for your employees is a moral obligation, and they are the company’s biggest asset. Often, safety practices can be overlooked when employees solely focus on speed, cut corners, or don’t take training as seriously as they should. This can easily happen because jobs become second nature to the professionals handling these procedures every day. They don’t always stop to double check things that they might miss. This is why it’s imperative to create an environment where safety concerns always take top priority.
Common Hazards in Manufacturing
There are certain types of risks in the manufacturing industry that are more prevalent than other fields,. All fields are prone to slip and fall injuries. These types of injuries can sometimes be avoided by following good fall protection procedures and keeping a rigid protocol on the way workspaces are kept. Signage should be used for any environmental issues, such as a wet floor or some defect in the building/area.
In the manufacturing industry, other common risks can involve electrical hazards, industrial powered machines and trucks, and machine guards. There is no way to eliminate accidents completely, but you should always strive to decrease the incidences. Many injuries can be avoided by following best practices for safety as laid out with any type of equipment. Using the proper gear and protection is a must and should be uniformly mandated throughout your facility.
The Importance of Engagement to Boost Safety
The reality in the manufacturing industry is that safety protocols have to be followed by everyone. That means that you need to develop a strategy to get all of your employees to buy in to the safety procedures in your facility. One employee not following proper safety can have a huge and detrimental impact.
Developing a good safety program requires open communication with your staff. Professionals on the frontline have a much better understanding of the importance of each aspect of safety protocol. These are the professionals whose voices should be heard with regard to developing the company-wide plan.
In order to get your frontline employees invested in contributing to the initiative, it’s important to make certain you’re building a culture that listens to and respects all employees and their feedback. Supervisors and managers should never be a barrier to surfacing concerns from frontline workers.
- Develop Open Feedback Forums. Ask your employees for feedback on each level of the company. Every employee is an expert on their particular position and can give you great insights on improvements.
- Develop Incentives for Safety Programs. Incentivize your safety record and build an environment where your frontline workforce views safety as a team effort to reap benefits.
- Get Every Level Involved in Identifying Safety Issues. Each department should have input on safety procedures and training.
- Make Procedures Uniform. Safety procedures need to be mandatory in order to be observed to a higher degree.
If decreased safety incidents weren’t incentive enough, improving your employee engagement also improves job satisfaction. Employees who are engaged are less likely to look for alternative employment, and they tend to be more productive and efficient.
Getting Employees Involved
Knowing that you need employee engagement to succeed and finding ways to achieve that engagement can be two different things. There are a number of strategies you can use to foster a more engaged workforce.
- Safety software. Technology offers a great way to connect your workforce with the processes and protocol in an easy way. You can use safety software to give staff a reminder and a place to voice their feedback easily, without compromising their efficiency on the job.
- Reach Out. Safety isn’t inspired from nowhere. It’s up to management to set the tone for safety by making sure that they reach out to their staff in an engaging way.
- Rewards. Rewards offer a great incentive to follow protocol. A simple recognition of a job well done can go a long way. Your employees need to know that their contributions are appreciated.
Identify Risks and Tie It All Together with Safety Management Software
Safety management software can help to empower workers to provide valuable feedback and insights into risks that may otherwise be missed. By involving the voice of the frontline worker, you can drive improvements to safety programs and processes.
Learn how Anvl can help you engage your frontline and streamline communication in order to gather real-time information that can help drive improvements to safety culture.
