Safety conversations take place every day between executives and managers, between safety professionals and workers, and—most importantly—between front-line supervisors and the workers who report to them. These conversations have great potential for improving workplace safety and health.
The core elements of an effective safety and health program —management leadership, worker participation, and a proactive approach to finding and fixing hazards—depend on good communication skills, real listening, clear speech, and well-run meetings.
This is where effective safety conversations come in— and where your role as a supervisor is key. The example you set, and the way you talk to workers about safety, has a huge impact on the company’s safety and health program, safety culture, and ability to reduce injury and illness.
As part of the Safe + Sound Campaign OSHA has produced a new 7 page overview entitled Better Safety Conversations, which covers the following key topics:
- The basics of good safety conversations.
- Tips for holding different types of safety conversations and making them more effective.
- Ways to overcome common reasons people avoid safety conversations.
- The power of stories to enhance your safety conversations.
- The importance of leading by example—“walking the walk” when it comes to workplace safety and health.