Safety Management Programs

Contractors understand that management comes with a schedule full of pressing responsibilities and duties that are difficult to communicate to other employees but are also necessary to ensure the business keeps running smoothly day in and day out. It can sometimes feel almost impossible for a manager to find a free moment amidst every other high-priority call and duty.

While the thought of filling those rare moments with another meeting can be unappealing, effective leaders aren’t afraid to do a bit more when the opportunity presents itself. And effective managers tend to find the extra effort is worth the reward. Managers who take time to attend safety meetings with their employees often find themselves with more cohesive and efficient teams, more effective safety solutions and a stronger safety culture within the organization.

The Power of Presence

Members of management that show up to safety meetings make a powerful statement just with their attendance. It shows that upper management actually treats safety as a priority by listening to the briefings from supervisors and aligning on safety initiatives with workers. This adds a human aspect to the message management sends when they say safety is important. It shows that the company as a whole is paying attention and that employees should do the same.

This effect goes even further when managers interact and present portions of the safety meetings. Presenting on relevant safety topics and directly addressing safety concerns in their own words reassures employees that what managers and the company say about safety is authentic. This boosts employee morale and makes employees more willing to engage with company safety initiatives and education.

Hearing and Utilizing the Valuable Insights of Front-Line Workers

Safety meetings also provide an opportunity for managers to connect more directly with their teams. Managers who attend safety meetings have the opportunity to hear directly from their field team members about the safety issues and concerns they face. Taking the time to listen to front-line workers gives managers a deeper understanding of the issues they face.

Your front-line workers are the ones on the jobsite every day. Their perspective on the safety challenges and hazards they face make them invaluable resources to tap as managers consider solutions for safety concerns. Involving workers in the entire safety conversation also builds greater trust and respect between management and the workforce, which helps strengthen an organization’s safety culture.

No one is going to tell you finding time for extra meetings in an already packed schedule won’t be difficult. But attending safety meetings helps managers remain directly tapped in with the heartbeat of their business. Regular safety meetings keep managers updated on how well an organization is functioning, if there are any immediate risks that need to be addressed, and they provide a direct look at employee engagement. Additionally, they provide managers a better understanding on the progress their workers are having with specific safety initiatives intended to reduce hazards and injuries. Managers that show up stay on the pulse and keep their employees safer, more engaged and more prepared on the job.

Safety is for Everyone – Amerisafe Group

This content is provided by the Amerisafe Group, which is FCA International’s safety partner. Amerisafe believes safety is more than just finding solutions to unsafe behavior by responding to workplace accidents. Safety is about identifying and preventing hazards from happening. Your FCA membership includes access to a Toolbox Talk library (click here to request your company’s access), and click here for more Amerisafe safety blogs.