Asking questions can be a great way to learn about yourself or people around you. Asking questions can also be very instrumental when evaluating functions in your company. In the August 25/September 1, 2009 issue of ENR magazine, Carl and Deb Potter talk about the need to ask questions when it comes to your company’s safety program. “Great Leaders Ask Great Questions” walks you through how to use questions to reassess the environment around you.

Carl and Deb suggest that in order to be a great leader, you must reevaluate how your employees see safety in the work plates. They suggest asking open ended questions. Here are just a few suggestions (please see the article for the full list):

• How safe do you feel on this project?
• What do you hear coworkers say about safety in our company?
• What do you expect of me when it comes to safety?
• What safety policy or rule is the most aggravating to you, and why?
• What is a hazard that you face when doing your job that you think I don’t know about?
• How are you personally involved in the safety process here?
• What are your safety goals this year?
• What happens when you have a safety concern?
• How does the company demonstrate that it cares about your personal safety?
• How do you learn about hazards that affect your project?
• How do you know if you are working safely?
• If you could change one thing about our safety process, what would it be?

(ENR August 25/Sept1, 2008, pg 71)

A lot of these questions put the focus of safety back on the individual employee. They really show the employee that the employer is concerned about their safety, and ask what the company can do to improve safety.

It’s a good idea to use these questions plus your own when looking into your safety program.

Filed under: Safety Tips, Workplace Safety by Beth Faraci Social tagging: work safety