Cintas Corporation held a webinar where they presented a list of best practices for reducing slip and fall accidents. The webinar mainly focused on foodservice operators since they are preparing for the updated American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards. According to CNA, “foodservice operators need to make sure they have the right program in place to protect their employees and reduce their exposure to potential liability claims”.
The U.S workforce spans across four generations for the first time in modern history. Effectively training, managing and communicating with all generations can be a challenge for managers. Effective safety training can be difficult as each generation has different work habits, work ethics, and ways of learning. An article entitled “The Barriers to Effective Safety Training: Finding Training Techniques that Bridge Generation Gaps” talks about different ways to effectively train cross generation facilities.
Skanska USA Inc. has taken worker safety to a new level. While they know that it is hard for a construction site (or any workplace) to be 100% accident free, it’s what they do after an accident has happened that really sets them apart. It is something that should become a best practice for any company.
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In an article titled “Low Cost Ways to Improve Safety” by Frank McDaniel, the author highlights two recommendations for improving workplace safety with minimal impact on the budget. He elucidates that balance is a key element to the construction industry during tough economic times. It is important to balance safety, quality control and production budget. When any portion of the budget is cut or adjusted, the entire company is affected. While cutting the safety budget may seem tempting, instead of letting productivity or quality control slip, he reminds us that preventing injuries that adversely impact the bottom line saves companies in the end. These recommendations can improve production and quality processes by increasing employee participation and lowering insurance premiums.
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In a workplace safety article written by Jennifer Anderson titled “Michigan Regulatory Commission Advances Mandatory Ergonomics Standard”, Jennifer describes exactly what the mandatory ergonomics standard could entail for Michigan business owners.
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In an article by Norma Jean Knollenberg titled “Incentive Programs Work” Knollenberg correlates a relationship between incentive programs and safety. She talks about how employees that go the extra mile to help maintain a safe workplace will continue to do so if he or she knows that upper management will recognize and rewards those efforts.
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Research from the Incentive Federation and Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement has shown that incentive programs work well during challenging economic times, like the present. The results of various surveys show that firms that continue to invest in perks regardless of economic conditions tend to outperform competitors. Knollenberg then elaborates on how companies that cut their incentive programs run the risk of losing their top talent when economic conditions improve.
I think incentive programs can be valuable to a company’s safety program because it gives employees a little push to try that much harder. Employees are in turn are more loyal and hard working. Happy employees then treat customers better and it creates a better work atmosphere altogether. Knollenberg talks about how measuring the benefits (such as X number of safe workdays in a plant every quarter) will help employers decide if the program is beneficial.
Knollenberg, Norma. “Incentive Programs Work.” Occupational Health & Safety June 2009: S2.
