Green Safety Ear

What if you had a safety green ear to show your commitment to safety? 

 

Reference: Principle to Practice by David G. Lynn, CSP.  Books available on David’s online store.

 

 

Contractor_Safety

 

 

Visible management safety commitment is the cornerstone to success, and it is a mark that distinguishes a safety culture.  I wish everyone committed to safety had a safety green ear. Would that not make life easier?  If you faced a complicated safety issue, you would know who could give you sound safety direction.  You would know exactly who to count on for keeping people safe in your work environment.  A distinguishing mark like a safety green ear could indicate everyone’s safety expectations.  On the flip side of the coin, you would also know exactly how to identify people who are not engaged in safety.  People with a safety green ear represent commitment and they could influence those without a green ear.

 

Unfortunately, physical features can’t outwardly reveal safety commitment, but visible consistent behaviors measure a commitment to safety.  Our words and actions project our commitment, and we have to ask ourselves difficult questions requiring honest reflection on our approach to safety.  These reflections are important to discovering a true commitment to safety.  All of our actions represent a footprint for safety, and we project an image whether we like it or not.  How would your coworkers describe your focus on safety?  Do you have a green ear for safety?  You may not come to work with a green ear, but you have opportunities every day to demonstrate you believe an injury-free culture is possible.

 

5 Actions that Will Distinguish Your Safety Commitment:

 

  1. Ask SAFE Dialogue questions.
  2. Approach Others when you see something out of place!
  3. Develop a Questioning Attitude about safety.
  4. Choose three things you control and KEEP SCORE.  Hold people accountable!
  5. Make your presence known with audits, pre-job briefs, and safety meetings.

 

Learn to lead safety in visible ways.  Peak Safety offers a variety of classes that teach participants how to make a difference with safety.  For ideas about how to teach people to lead, visit our leadership page.