Speak Up For Safety
Nobody likes conflict. However, at work, speaking up and correcting unsafe conditions could have life or death consequences. So, how do you handle situations where you witness unsafe work taking place? Like everyone else, you probably get very uncomfortable while contemplating your next steps. Do you turn a blind eye? Do you approach the person yelling and screaming while throwing some insults their way? OK, so neither of these approaches are the right way to handle it — so what should you do?
Have a safety concern? Speak up!
If you see an unsafe situation in your work area, it’s important that you speak up and say something about it. Doing so will ensure you make others aware of the issue so corrective actions can be taken to resolve the unsafe conditions. It may be uncomfortable to communicate your concerns, but if you just keep quiet or wait for someone else to correct the issue, then someone could get hurt. Be proactive and report unsafe conditions as soon as possible. Please remember that if someone brings a concern to your attention, try not to take it personally. Realize that this person only has your best interest in mind, and wants to help ensure your safety. If you need assistance with safety challenges, please contact your Manager or Safety Manager.
Witness an unsafe act? Here is how to handle it…
It can be confusing to know how to properly handle a situation where you witness an unsafe act, especially if it is one of your co-workers involved. Many times, people want to avoid confrontation, however, by not saying anything you could be putting your co-worker at risk of injury. There are a lot of factors for why people engage in unsafe acts, and sometimes they aren’t even aware of their behavior. By suggesting a safer way to complete the task, you could be preventing an injury. Remember, when communicating your concern, please don’t criticize or be negative – instead you should calmly express your concern for their safety. It’s helpful to complement their safe work behaviors before bringing up your concern so they don’t feel criticized.
Intervene when you see unsafe work taking place!
It can be very uncomfortable to tell a co-worker that they are performing their work in an unsafe manner. Turning a blind eye to unsafe work behaviors may be the easy thing to do, but keeping quiet could put your co-worker at risk of injury. It may be a hard discussion to have, however, if you approach them in a positive manner, the discussion will go well. Stay calm and speak to the individual privately. It’s helpful to start with a positive comment (i.e. “It’s good to see you’re wearing your close-fitting eyewear”). Follow the positive statement with a calm discussion about the unsafe behavior you noticed. By the end of the discussion, the unsafe situation will be corrected, and you can feel good knowing you may have prevented an injury!
Don’t wait for someone else to say something…SPEAK UP for Safety!