6 Tips for Better Safety Meetings

6 Tips for Better Safety Meetings 

Let’s be honest, weekly safety meetings don’t always get the best reputation.  To some workers, they may seem dry and repetitive, while to others, they are the perfect little snack or nap break.  Whatever a worker’s relationship with safety meetings, they are a valuable opportunity to remind workers of the importance of health and safety in the workplace and to call attention to any timely, job-related items that may need workers’ attention.  So, what can supervisors do to host better safety meetings, that create enthusiasm and hold employees’ attention?  We have listed our top tips below.   

1. Offer incentives 

Test workers on safety protocols.  Offer prizes such as a free dinner at a local restaurant, movie gift certificates, or even an afternoon off.  Free coffee and snacks are hard to turn down and can offer attendees something to look forward to during the meeting. 

2. Find out what employees want to discuss 

Safety meetings are not just about going over rules and procedures.  They can also be used as a space to foster teamwork by encouraging participation and engagement.  Find out what employees want to discuss and have them voice any concerns they might have, including brainstorming ways to improve safety at your workplace. You can either do this at meetings or through employee surveys.  

3. Foster accountability and care for one another  

Ensure that each employee is aware of their responsibility towards their own actions and others when it comes to workplace safety.  Discuss points on how employees can work together better as a team.  Courtesy is an important preventative measure when it comes to creating a solid safe culture. Encourage respect and courtesy for fellow workers by having them keep a watchful eye for when a colleague might be in a dangerous situation.   

4. Have management attend safety meetings 

When management attends safety meetings, it creates a lasting presence, showing that management cares about safety.  This helps to solidify guidelines from supervisors, ensuring that all employees are on the same page.  Management's presence communicates an approachable tone to safety culture in the workplace by showing that management takes safety seriously, encouraging workers to do the same.  Of course, this is only additionally enhanced when management takes a leading role in communicating directly with staff by contributing a segment of the safety meetings.   

5. Discuss details from investigations and near miss reports 

Use this time to report outcomes of incident investigations.  Have the outcomes resulted in corrective actions or changes to workplace policies and procedures?  This can also be discussed in further detail. 

6. Start and end meetings on time 

Starting meetings on time shows that you take safety meetings seriously.  Similarly, ending safety meetings on time shows the organizer's ability to stay on topic and that they respect employees' time.  There is no need for meetings that drag on.  Many times, all applicable points can be covered within just a few minutes.  Be mindful of time by ensuring that you are iterating key points and staying focused on what is most important.