Five Ways to Accelerate Safety

May 23, 2013
These tips are designed to help companies heighten employee participation in improving occupational safety.

According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), states with mandatory safety programs have fatality rates 30 percent lower than the national average. But safety must go beyond mandatory programs to cultures that inspire innovative procedures tailored to specific environments. That’s the idea behind “National Safety Month.” With June being upon us, this is an opportunity to remind organizations that safety is a continuous improvement process.

Cintas Corporation, a provider of first-aid and personal protective products (PPE), offers the following tips for companies to heighten employee participation in improving safety:

1.     Set a company goal for AED/CPR training: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), a stoppage of the heart, causes an estimated 15 percent of workplace deaths. Employees who are well-trained in both CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) use will be fully prepared to respond when SCA occurs. Set a company-wide goal to get a large percentage of workers certified and recognize those individuals who participate in the program by hosting a lunch or picnic. Enlist the help of a training provider and American Heart Association (AHA)-certified instructors to highlight proper AED use and CPR technique.

2.     Fit employees for PPE: Since PPE is only fully effective when it fits correctly, and employees are more likely to wear it when it fits, set up fitting stations with several sizes and have a representative on duty who can maintain a log of employees’ sizes to make future ordering easier.

3.     Host a safety contest: To keep employees focused and enthusiastic about safety, use contests and trivia to test employee knowledge about correct safety practices. For example, use an “identify what’s wrong with this picture” contest and have employees submit answers for prizes. To maintain engagement over time, launch a recognition program that rewards certain departments or individuals who have shown an exemplary dedication to workplace safety.

4.     Test fire extinguisher skills: Pick a vendor that can be on-site during safety events to train employees on proper fire extinguisher technique using a fire simulator.  Then, test employees’ knowledge with oral quizzes and online training courses. In addition, make sure employees know where all extinguishers and exits are located throughout the facility so they can be fully prepared if a fire occurs.

5.     Teach emergency response: A common misconception is that employees know how to properly respond in the event of an emergency. Use safety awareness events to teach employees proper response including evacuation protocol, first-aid techniques and how to call for help during an emergency. Assign stand-out employees to emergency response teams that can correctly handle chemical spills, fires, natural disasters and SCA.