SAFETY MEETING

safety training may be a regular part of monthly meeting agendas. The main
objective of a safety meeting is either to remind employees of safe practices
they have already learned, or to introduce and build awareness of new
techniques, new equipment, or new regulations that must be observed.

The only true measurement of whether or not a safety meeting was a success
or not is if the materials provided were presented in such a way that the
employees and other attendees were able to retain the information provided,
and implement these tactics into their everyday work habits.

Conducting a successful and interesting safety meeting takes planning on the

part of the individual in charge. Simply reading safety procedures from a
manual is not the best way to maintain a captive audience.

It is a well known fact that most individuals only retain 10% of what they hear
or read. If this is true, then your safety meeting has to have some definite bells
and whistles involved in order for you to achieve the intended results. Here
are some tips for a well run safety meeting:

 Do create the ideal atmosphere: A successful meeting may require

more than just chairs and a speaker. Think about the equipment you will
need. Depending on the size of the room, you may need a pa system
rental.

 If participation is expected (and it should be), seating is

important: The use of round tables works best. If only chairs are
involved, arranging them in a U-shape allows all to interact without
anyone being able to slink into the back row to avoid interaction.

 Comfort: Be sure the meeting room is a comfortable temperature and

the lighting is proper. These factors have been proven to help learning
and retention.

 Taking notes: Assign someone to take notes or minutes during the

meeting. Use a tape or digital recorder to ensure accuracy.

 Add some spice: Games, activities, and contests that promote

interactive participation can make a dull subject come to life.
Audiovisual aids, such as DVDs, Power Point presentations, or slides
can add a level of interest that will cause more of the information to be
committed to memory. Don’t use outdated slides or training materials
that are obviously from another time period. Upbeat, current videos and
presentations will hold the interest of all involved.
  Rent equipment in advance: Be sure to have your equipment, such as
a notebook computer rental, video player, overhead projector, or rental
speakers at least a day in advance so that you can properly test and
review the materials to be covered. During the meeting is not the time to
deal with technical difficulties.

 Vary training techniques: Different individuals learn in different ways.

Using a variety of techniques will insure that the information will be
understood by all. Using videos is a smart option. When videos are
used in combination with discussions, retention levels can increase by
up to more than 50 percent.

 Literacy levels and language concerns: If some employees have

lower literacy levels, or if English is not the native language, consider
including handouts and visual text (such as PowerPoint presentations
on a rental digital projector) written in several languages to
accommodate all attendees.

 Hands-on examples: Along with any other methods of training, hands

on demonstrations are an excellent way to drive your point home.

The Importance of Safety Meetings

Avoiding Complacency

Safety meetings provide a chance to present new safety training and information. They also offer a chance
for workers to review previously learned information. Without safety meetings, workers can be lulled by
routines and slowly decrease their alertness and attention to safety as they perform the same tasks day after
day. They benefit from being reminded how to stay safe and why safety methods are needed.

Preventing Accidents

Awareness of risks reduces accidents. Preventing on-the-job accidents benefits companies and employees
financially. Managers, health and safety officers, compliance officers and trainers plan and conduct safety
meetings to draw attention to areas of risk. These professionals decide which information to share and how
to present the information in the most effective format to prevent accidents in the workplace. Usually, they
also design a follow-up activity or instrument that measures employee retention of safety information from
the meeting.

Evaluating Risk

Safety meetings review recent incidents that affected worker health and safety and use the information to
update existing safety plans and procedures to reduce or eliminate recurrences. While the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration or another regulatory agency may require an only an employer to review
workplace accidents and illnesses, employers benefit from the viewpoints of all employees in safety
meetings and should publicize the meetings on organizational websites, through staff email, in newsletters
and in posters in the workplace.

Corrective Action

For safety meetings, employers need an established hazardous identification process that a committee can
use to adopt new policies and procedures. It's important for the safety meeting to include a group of people
who have learned to collaborate and communicate effectively and who can address appropriate issues and
take corrective actions. Management implements the committee's recommendations by updating
organizationwide policies and procedures and training employees on any new information.