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Safety Moment Ideas: Topics, Examples and Tips for Success

April 5, 2022 • Previsor

Do you hold regular safety meetings in your workplace? Safety meetings and trainings are essential to teach employees how to stay safe on the job. But it can be challenging to find the time to have frequent long safety meetings. To complement these longer sessions, consider scheduling a shorter safety moment.

What is a safety moment?

A safety moment is a dedicated time for employees and managers to talk about safety. Safety moments are short – usually around 2-5 minutes – and focus on one specific topic rather than a broad one.

Why you should hold safety moments

The purpose of a safety moment is to put employees in a safety-oriented mindset. Usually, a safety moment reminds employees about a safety policy or protocol they already know. In just a few minutes, you can cover:

A safety moment isn’t the best time to present brand-new information or detailed safety training. Instead, use these brief but valuable opportunities to regularly expose your employees to safety basics. By doing so, you’ll communicate that their safety is your top priority, and build a strong safety culture over time.

Group of 5 construction workers wearing hard hats talk in a circle

Safety moment topic ideas

You know your workplace better than anyone. You can tailor your safety moment to fit your unique needs and address real-time safety concerns for your business. Start with topics that involve common incidents in your industry, or a safety rule that employees often forget.

A safety moment is also a great time to cover targeted safety subjects. Some of these might seem like common sense, but the more your employees encounter a risk, the easier it becomes to ignore.

Here are some common causes of workplace injury that make perfect safety moment topics.

1. Safe driving

Whether or not your employees drive “on the job,” the truth is that vehicle crashes are one of the top causes of injury and death in the U.S. For this reason, you should include safe driving topics in your safety moment schedule even if you don’t have a fleet or professional drivers.

  • Distracted driving: Remind employees to avoid using a cell phone in the car whenever possible. Even hands-free devices can cause distractions behind the wheel.
  • Defensive driving: Prepare your employees to react to a variety of dangerous situations while driving.
  • Seat belt use: Wearing a seat belt drastically reduces the risk of serious injury or death in an incident. Remind employees to buckle up every time they get in a vehicle.

2. Drug and alcohol impairment

Your employees probably know that you expect them to come to work free from the effects of drugs and alcohol. But do they know the details of your substance use policy?

For example: When will you perform drug testing? How do prescription medications fit in? Discussing these questions and having employees sign a written policy ensures everyone is on the same page.

3. Personal protective equipment

Do your employees use personal protective equipment (PPE) to do their jobs? Choose one piece of equipment to cover during your safety moment. Demonstrate how and when to wear it. Some PPE, like a fall arrest harness, might require a follow-up process if it is used. Be sure employees know what steps to take in these situations.

4. Incident reporting

Many businesses go months or even years without experiencing a work comp claim. That means they’re doing something right when it comes to safety! It could also mean their employees have no idea what to do if an incident does occur.

Go over your incident reporting policy with employees. Share your company’s timeline for when incidents should be reported and when you will conduct an incident investigation. Emphasize that the purpose of reporting incidents is not to place blame, but to ensure any injuries are taken care of and that similar incidents don’t happen again.

5. Lockout/tagout

If your employees work with machinery, you know how important it is for everyone to understand lockout/tagout procedures. These crucial processes prevent employees from being injured by equipment while performing maintenance or repair. A safety moment is a perfect opportunity to revisit this topic.

How often to have safety moments

You can hold safety moments at the frequency that works best for your company. Many organizations find that holding a safety moment every morning provides consistency for employees and keeps safety at the forefront of their operations. If you choose to hold weekly safety moments, try to schedule them at the same time on the same day each week.

Plan your next safety moment today

In just a few minutes, you can refresh your employees’ knowledge of life-saving safety information. By incorporating safety moments into your daily or weekly routine, you’ll build a safety culture that will impact your business – from injury prevention to increased efficiency.

Ready to get started? Visit our Resource Library for more free safety resources or watch our video: How to Lead a Safety Meeting.

Date
April 5, 2022
Author
Previsor
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