What Are Your New Year’s Safety Resolutions for 2015?
With the new year fast approaching, many are looking forward to turning over a new leaf. So why not make workplace safety your New Year’s resolution for 2015?
When it comes to safety, there’s always room for improvement — next year could be the safest year ever for your workplace. Fire Engineering recently released a list of workplace safety resolutions for 2015, and we’ve come up with a few of our own that might help you kick off the new year right.
Here are some great resolutions for safety managers:
- Know the new rules. OSHA has some new rules coming on Jan. 1. Make sure you and your workers start the year off right by knowing what’s going to change and how you’ll have to comply.
- Think like an OSHA inspector. OSHA recently published a list of the most common safety violations found in the workplace. Put yourself in an OSHA inspector’s shoes for a day and see if you spot any of these violations. If you do, put together a plan to fix the issues as soon as possible.
- Talk to your workers. Your workers are your front lines, and they’ll most likely be the first to spot a safety hazard. Get them together for a group conversation about what they think might improve safety. A brainstorming session like this is sure to present some great ideas.
- Commit to being an engaging trainer. Effective training is the key to workplace safety. Take a look at the methods you use to train your workers. How are these methods working? What can you do to make training more fun or interesting? Ask your workers for their input, and make changes as needed.
- Plan your year according to safety goals. Maybe you have some changes you’d like to implement that’ll improve safety in your workplace, but the thought of trying to change everything all at once is a bit daunting. Instead, break these changes into smaller goals and schedule deadlines throughout the year. Focusing on one safety improvement at a time will help make each change as effective as possible. By the end of the year, all your smaller goals will have been reached.
A new year for workers, too
Improving workplace safety isn’t just the job of a safety manager – it should be your workers’ responsibility, too.
Here are some resolution suggestions to get workers thinking more about safety in 2015:
- Wear your PPE. This equipment is a vital part of workplace safety and can be subject to lots of wear and tear. Take a look and see how your PPE is holding up. Is it comfortable and effective? Are you taking proper care of it? Is there room for improvement?
- Engage in safety training. Safety training is where you get the building blocks to create a safer work environment. This year, commit yourself to getting the most you can out of safety training, and see just how safe you can become.
- Stay positive. Keeping a positive safety attitude can go a long way. By doing so, it’ll be easier to make safety practices into habits. And if your co-workers see your attitude, chances are that it’ll rub off on them.
- Make suggestions. Workers are the front line when it comes to safety. If you see a potential hazard, or even something that needs a little improvement, speak up. Your input will help keep everyone safe.
- Take the initiative. If you want to make safety more of a priority, do a little research. Look up safety hazards and tips associated with your industry, or simply talk with your safety manager and co-workers. The more you know, the safer you’ll be.
What safety resolutions would you make for your workplace? Let us know in the comments section below.