What IS a Safety Meeting?
Ok, let’s start from here:-
SAFETY MEETING is a periodic meeting purposefully scheduled for the sole aim of giving safety education on a specified safety topic or theme.
This is quite similar to a Tool Box Meeting-difference being that a Tool Box Meeting is a pre-job safety analysis or "forward-seeing" of the job steps and may only involvethe work group concerned with the particular job task.
On the other hand, a Safety meeting is not a pre-task safety education and involves everyonein the workplace or unit, irrespective of their work or discipline.
So, How often Should We Conduct A Safety Meeting?
Safety meeting Frequency can be varied to suit your workplace peculiar situation.I remember while working on a construction site, with lots of casual workers present, general safety meetings were usually conducted on a daily basis. However, when I moved over to the Oil & Gas industry, these safety education sessions are usually held once in a week.
So, you can see that the frequency can be varied as you wish- as long as it maintains a regular schedule and is adequately enough to address your particular workplace safety education needs.
Key Role Players In Any Given Safety Meeting?
Your Safety Meeting should have the following key role players:
- moderates the various segments of the meeting- ensures adherence to meeting time frame- ensure discussions stay focused on the specified subject and not distracted to an off course issue.
- This is the worker or resource person who delivers the safety education for the day.
- May produce hard copies of presentation to be shared to the workers as take-away copies. (I always prefer giving AFTER the presentation. This way, you have them listen to you while you deliver-as against busying themselves trying to read the copy while you’re still presenting-just a personal opinion. You may do otherwise if you so wish.)
- Presenter may use safety training videos, safety signs, safety posters and safety quiz as object lessons or safety resources to drive home the relevant message and ensure better understanding by the workforce.
- Records the basic points raised in the safety presentation.- Documents the extra points raised during the interactive session- Documents meeting attendees for record purposes.- Performs any other secretarial functions for the meeting.
SAFETY MEETING PRESENTATION AIDS
The following presentation aids/ resources are recommended for a captivating personnel safety training session, namely:
1. SAFETY TRAINING VIDEOS:
For Visual safety presentations, better illustrations and greater attention and assimilation.
2. SAFETY POSTERS:
Use these for illustrations wherever possible. Always remember: images and Pictures stick much longer than words. Use this fact to your advantage. Use these visual aids in your presentations. Free Printable Safety Posters can come in handy if you are very low on budgets.
3. SAFETY QUIZ:
You can use this as attention grabbers at the beginning of the meeting. This can help break the ice and help the workforce settle into a more conducive environment – ready to receive the day’s safety information.
Alternatively, the quiz can be used at the end of the lesson if it relates to the subject to be handled. Whichever way you prefer: simply vary your patterns to spice up the worker’s interest.
7 LITTLE KNOWN WAYS TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR SAFETY MEETING
1. Have a schedule indicating Identified Topics and Presenters well in advance. This allows proper preparations.
Remember the 6 P’s?: “Poor Prior Preparation Produces Poor Performance”
2. ALWAYS allow for an interactive (Question and Answer) Session Make it as informal as possible to encourage interactive participation.
3. Use a variety of Presentation Aids and Resources to reinforce the safety lesson. These include Safety Training Videos, Safety Quiz, Safety Puzzles, etc. These also serve as spicing that engage the workforce and give them something to look up to.
4. Institute Award & Recognition Program for Safety Meeting Presenters. This encourages outstanding lesson presentations and also stimulates startling lesson presentations. Know what these boil down to? Better Safety training for your workplace!
5. Keep to your time frames. Ensure proper time management.
6. Ask Safety Lesson Presenters to always include a set of Questions at the end of the presentation. This also engages the listeners, reinforces the lesson shared and helps in lesson retention.
7. Finally, let your workplace management be involved by always attending the safety meetings. This show of commitment will ginger interest and seriousness within the workforce as well.
Return From Safety Meeting To Home Page