Effective Safety Teams Tips to Make Your Safety

Effective Safety Teams Tips to Make Your Safety Team Go From Average to Awesome Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Division of Safety and Hygiene Julie Reynolds

Where to Start? p o T t n e m e g a t n n a e M m t i m m o C

What is Management Commitment for a Safety Team? ØParticipating in setting goals and objectives ØMaking a commitment to listen to the team’s suggestions ØProviding resources (Money/Time)

How Do You Gain Management Commitment? • Safety Pays (www. OSHA. gov) • Cost of a Claim • BWC Premium Increase • Money Talks!!

Assemble a Team

Select Team Members ØLabor and management partnering ØRepresent all key functional areas and knowledge

What about…. . Ø Appoint, recruit or volunteer? Ø What about shifts? Ø Number of members? Ø Who will choose the members? Ø How long will members serve on the team? Ø Where will you meet? Ø How long/often will you meet?

Team Member Roles ØTeam Member ØTeam Leader ØScribe/Note Taker ØTimekeeper ØFacilitator

Purpose Goals Strategies

Why have a Purpose? ØIt identifies the work of the team and why it’s important. ØProvides the on-going direction for the team. ØAll members must share in and be committed to the purpose. ØShould be linked to overall organizational mission and vision.

Goal Setting The stated goals should be SMART: èSpecific èMeasurable èAttainable èRealistic èTimely

Strategy ØDetermine how you will meet your goals and work towards achieving your purpose. ØTangible tasks that can be accomplished by team members. ØMake team members accountable for the assigned tasks.

Purpose: To improve communication

Goals: • Improve perception survey results by 10% in 12 months • Conduct 100 safety contact opportunities (training, meetings, one on one’s) this year • Create two way feedback for safety related issues and respond in 48 hrs

Strategies: • Conduct survey in January & December • Conduct weekly safety talks, monthly safety meetings & quarterly training classes • Create on-line safety mailbox • Develop accountability system for safety contacts

Determine What To Work On Safety Teams should address broad systems, not symptoms

Symptoms ØBroken guard rail near aisle 4 ØLeaky roof in shipping area ØCluttered, crowded work area in inspection ØMissing machine guard on a press

Five Systems for Safety Teams Ø Communication Ø Training Ø Policies and Procedures Ø Climate Ø Accountability

Build Team Skills

Specific Training May Include: ØTeam Process ØTeam Concepts ØInterpersonal Communication ØConflict Resolution ØGroup Facilitation ØTechnical Safety Information ØProblem Solving/Decision Making

Problem Solving & Decision Making Ø Consensus Ø Brainstorming Ø Fishbone Diagram Ø Multi-Voting (DOTS) Ø Group Normalization Ø Methods (CARDS) Ø High-Low Grid Ø Pareto Chart Ø Force Field Analysis

Consensus is … … 70% comfort … 100% commitment

Meeting Management

Norms Common group norms for successful teams include: è_________________________________ è_________________

The Agenda ØKeeps the meeting on track ØSend out before the meeting ØAssign time limits to specific topics

Agenda Items /Person Responsible/Time Frame Old Business 1. Follow-up of June’s suggestions 2. Review of 2 nd quarter inspections Joe Smith John Jones 2: 00 – 2: 10 – 2: 20 New Business 1. Review current new hire process 2. Elect new members (2) Jean Wilson Doe 2: 20 – 2: 35 – 2: 45 Monthly training (preventing heat stress) Tammy Trainer 2: 45 – 3: 00 * Please be on time and bring your departmental housekeeping inspection.

Parking Lot Issues not on the agenda

Documentation ØMeeting agendas ØMeeting minutes ØAction plans ØOther reports requested by management

Action Planning Action Item 1. 2. 3. 4. Who When Status

People fail to accomplish their goals for three reasons: 1) they fail to write them down 2) they have no one to hold them accountable 3) no deadlines

Communication Plan aka: Marketing!!

Every Step • As the team is being organized • As members are chosen • As roles are determined • As goals are established (and met) • When success is achieved

Evaluate Team Effectiveness Team effectiveness should be evaluated on: • Task Completion (results) • Building of Relationships (team process)

Evaluating Team Performance Do at least an annual self-evaluation Review Purpose-Goals-Strategies