Masonry Magazine July 1979 Page. 25
TOOL BOX TALK
Safety Begins
The First Day
On the Job
A good safety indoctrination program for new employees can do wonders for your safety record. Do you have such a program?
How often has a serious accident occurred involving one of your new people? And how frequently has it happened on that employee's first day on the job?
What action are you taking to develop proper safety attitudes in your new employees? Are you doing all you can to show them why safe performance pays dividends from the first day?
There are two major causes of accidents involving new employees:
Lack of sufficient knowledge of the job:
Over-anxiety-the desire to please the employer can build up anxiety, which can lead to accidents.
You can do something to help eliminate both problems: develop an effective new employee indoctrination program that will bring about the desired behavioral change in your new people. The program should include:
Coverage of general company rules and employee benefits:
Discussion of general safety rules and the safety program:
Explanation of the specific safety rules that are applicable in the new employee's department.
General company policy and rules usually will be covered by the personnel department immediately after the new employee is added to the payroll. At the same time, the various benefit programs, such as hospitalization, pension plan, holidays, and vacation plans, are discussed.
The second step in the program provides the safety professional with an opportunity to establish rapport with the new employee. Getting the proper attitude toward safety firmly set in the employee's mind can go a long way to enhance the status of your safety program.
At this time, the company's safety handbook should be given to the employee. A discussion of the company's safety policy statement, and the general safety rules, can be conducted by the one specifically responsible for the employee's safety. Emphasizing the "why" aspect of the rules results in a more cooperative attitude toward them. People are more inclined to follow rules when the reasons for them have been explained.
At this point, the first line supervisor takes over the indoctrination to cover the specific applications of the safety rules in the new employee's department. On the job, the supervisor can show how some hazards have been eliminated while others, which could not be designed out of the operation, are guarded against. This discussion provides an opportunity for showing how personal protective equipment can further reduce the effects of the hazard.
A typical list of items for the first line supervisor to cover would include, but not be limited to, the following:
Management and employees are mutually interested in preventing accidents:
Job instruction will always include applicable safety instructions;
Operation of any piece of equipment without specific authorization and instruction from supervision is forbidden:
It is vital to learn to recognize unsafe conditions and to report them immediately to your supervisor:
Always check equipment and tools before use. At no time are you to use defective equipment:
Wear personal protective equipment as required in special areas and job applications:
If you are injured, no matter how slightly, report it at once to your supervisor:
Question all items about which you are uncertain.
It is essential that this discussion take place prior to the new employee's being given a first job assignment. A follow-up session is recommended after the employee has several days on the job, for the purpose of reinforcement. At that time, the supervisor will encourage the employee to talk about his experiences on the new job. The answers to probing questions will tell the supervisor how well proper safety attitudes have been established.
Benefits to be derived from a good indoctrination program include:
New employee accidents will be reduced sharply:
Your accident record will improve accordingly:
Your turn-over rate will be improved:
The level of employee morale will be raised:
Your people will be firmly convinced that safety is important to them and to the company.
If you don't have a program begin developing one to-days!
-Reprinted from "National Safety News." January. 1979.
Crane Safety Tips
Clean the Deck! A dirty or cluttered deck invites falls, so the Power Crane & Shovel Association suggests you sweep the deck clean and wipe up any oil or grease spots to minimize the chances of injury from these hazards. Cleaning the deck is more than good housekeeping-it's good safety practice.