Joint Safety Institute Administrator's Report

Safety should always be supervisors’ first consideration on the job

by Jim Barham

Among their responsibilities, shift/section supervisors must look out for the jobsite safety of the men and women who work under their direction, or within their jurisdiction. Here are some tried and true safety guidelines developed over time that supervisors should always consider:

Each job should be planned for safety:

Every job should be planned looking ahead for potential safety hazards, so that you can take preventive measures before the work begins. The frontline employees should be included in the planning of the particular job, whenever possible. Every employee should receive personal point-by-point instruction on how the work must be performed as safely as possible.

Good morale is very important:

High employee morale on the job helps workers look out for each other. When morale is low, workers have a hard time looking out for themselves, let alone their fellow employees. One of the ways to keep morale up us to hold regular safety talks that keep every worker informed on safety and his/her responsibility in that area.

Organizing the work for each job makes things safer and easier:

An efficient and organized job plan not only is safer, but it also ensures better work results. Whenever unsafe work conditions or unsafe work practices causes employees to pay less attention to getting the job done—because they must take more time trying not to be injured—the job is performed in a much less efficient manner. A safe job is an efficient job.

Develop good safety habits and attitudes in employees:

A worker without a good safety attitude can have an accident even in an “accident-proof” jobsite environment. Talk up safety and the safety example by your own attitude, work and actions. This will help create better safety attitudes among the workers. Remember: you have to live safety every day in order to promote it.

Encourage employees to report close calls, without fear of punishment:

Close calls are wake-up calls that need to be shared with every worker in the area. They get employees talking among themselves about safety. They can help point out safety needs and safer ways in which to do the required work. If someone takes a “short cut” on the job, or has a close call because he was not wearing the proper PPE, you want everyone to hear about it so that everyone understands the dangers of “short cuts” and not wearing proper safety equipment. If a close call occurs when all the established safety procedures are being observed, you, as a supervisor, want to know about it so that you can change the work practice to promote safety.

Treat your workers with the respect they deserve:

In order to have a safe workplace, it is essential to have open communication and trust among all employees and with supervisors/management. Everyone at your worksite deserves to be treated with respect and dignity—with no exceptions. This includes listening to complaints from your workers with an open mind towards changing things for the better (safer). When people are treated with respect, they become easier to get along with, less defensive, more productive, and much more willing to compromise and work together as a team. This cooperation is the first step in creating trust and a safer worksite.

It is not just about working safely; it is about living safely:

Off-the-job injuries cause twice as much lost work time as on-the-job injuries, according to the federal National Safety Council. Anytime a worker is injured—whether on or off the job—not only does the employee suffer, but his/her family also suffers. When an employee cannot come to work, the Department of Water & Power loses out; there simply are no winners here. Supervisors should emphasize safety as a 24-hour/7-days a week value and goal. They should encourage the use of PPE for off-job employees when they are working on home projects or while out enjoying recreation and sporting activities. At safety meetings, always remind workers to take safety information home to share with their families.