Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/117828
50 ��� APRIL 2013 ��� WORLD FENCE NEWS THE HUMAN LINK by Jim Lucci Management Motivational Associates Toolbox talks are crucial part of overall company safety program This month, we���ll be revisiting the topic of ���toolbox talks��� as part of an on-going safety program for your business. Unfortunately, over the years, we have perhaps had a tendency to let seemingly ���little��� things like safety programs or talks slide a bit! The things that we let take a back seat for the most part are those which we perceive will involve time that we feel we don���t have, additional paperwork which we don���t like in the first place, and something that adds yet one more strain to our schedules. I���m sure that there are more ���excuses��� that I can provide for not doing these particular activities on any basis, much less a regular basis. Indeed, this is a phenomenon called ���avoidance behavior.��� It doesn���t make you a bad person, but maybe one who is not on top of what must be done. First, you may recall that I said earlier that perception of what was involved triggered the usual responses. The reality is that, if you as the owner (or manager in charge) set up a safety program correctly to begin with and support it, your personal time involvement could be minimal, while the benefits could be substantial to your business and its personnel. Initially, you should appoint someone on your support staff to be the safety officer, who will head a safety committee when appropriate. This person will be in charge of establishing the overall safety program along with you, the owner or manager. Once having established the safety program, its overall umbrella includes the theme of ���toolbox talks.��� These talks are brief in nature, but are to the point regarding specific issues that the crews, as well as the office and other personnel, are confronted with on a regular basis. As I mentioned, these talks are usually brief, perhaps 10-15 minutes, or more time if need be, preferably on a weekly basis. (Letting too much time lapse between meetings makes these meetings less part of a natural flow of things.) However, the operative word is ���brief.��� These talks can be held in the office, around the crew vehicles, or any other location that is relevant. While the safety officer should be responsible for keeping a log and post- ing the day, time and subject covered as well as the names of the persons in attendance, the meeting or talk can and should be handled by the lead foremen when it concerns crew issues and safety in the field; by the shop foreman when it concerns issues involving fabrication or shop related matters; by the yard or warehouse manager when it concerns issues of importance to the handling of materials or equipment in those areas; and by the appropriate manager when issues regarding safety in the office or sales areas is involved. There really should be a safety committee created to identify hazards in the workplace and to make recommendations to the employer regarding correction of the hazards. This is because these are the persons who are most likely to be involved in and familiar with the situation and any problems arising in the issue at hand. The talk should be documented by the person handling it as to length of time, topic and location where the talk took place, and the report then should be turned into the safety officer for posting in the log. You, as the owner or manager, should monitor these talks as part of the overall safety program and be instrumental in providing your people with the places necessary to get information required to present and discuss the topic at hand. There are many sources out there which provide ���ready-made��� safety talk information at fairly reasonable costs. There is absolutely no need for a company to ���reinvent the wheel��� when it comes to meaningful safety talks. Before we discuss some representative examples of topics, I think it would be appropriate to mention a few web sites that should prove helpful in obtaining materials for presentation or discussion at your toolbox talks. For example: www.toolboxtopics.com www.Lni.wa.gov/safety/topics Also, one can Google ���toolbox safety talks��� for more leads. These suggestions should prove continued on page 52