A safety meeting is an opportunity to review all of your businesses safety procedures including your written safety program. To be effective, everyone on the management team must understand what is expected of them and safety must be an ongoing, essential part of production. This means the entire workforce must have an occasional reminder of what accident prevention is all about. To help you have an effective meeting below are the top 5 safety meeting tips:
- When should you have these meetings? Generally, you want to have a short to the point safety meeting. We have found that is best to have these meetings when your staff is fresh like first thing in the morning. Maybe after a cup of coffee. Be sure to keep on schedule and get done when you said you would.
- Where should you have these meetings? This depends on your business. It may be in a central area in your business or at a job site. Depending on your topic, it may be best to have the meeting next to the safety item or piece of equipment in question. Make sure all the employees either have a place to stand or sit or take notes.
- How long should you have these meetings? Five or ten minutes per subject are about all you probably need. I used to know a preacher who said he could only hold people’s attention for 15 minutes. After that, he really wasn’t being heard. If there is other business, it can go longer or be continued at the next meeting.
- What to Say in this meeting? Don’t just read your topic although you probably want some notes for cue cards. Pick a topic relevant to what the employees are doing or will be doing. Do some preparation to put the subject into your own words. Give the staff the relevant facts but if the topic is not familiar, get help from other sources, don’t just assume everyone including you will understand the topic. Give specific targeted examples using related or similar businesses. Give real facts and figures to drive your point home.
- Handouts, photos and diagrams can be handy but don’t overdo it. Ask and solicit questions to make sure the staff understands the issues.
Ramey King Insurance partners with Denton businesses to provide the right type of coverage for their unique business needs. For more details on these topics please contact Ramey King Insurance at 800-453-9691 to talk to one of our business specialists or visit our office at 320 Eagle Drive, Ste 210, Denton, TX 76201.
