5 Low-hanging Fruits to Bolster Your Safety Management Program

Photo by Umit Yildirim on Unsplash

Is your site plagued with safety performance challenges?

 

If so, the causes may lie in certain safety areas that need more emphasis within the overall program.

 

There are many “low-hanging fruit” items in a safety management program that can prevent businesses from achieving positive outcomes.

 

Injury prevention, hazard communication, safe driving, emergency preparedness, and safety inspections are just a few. 

 

Keep reading for some simple tips to increase your safety management program’s effectiveness in these areas.

 

Injury Prevention

 

More effective injury prevention efforts can quickly impact safety performance in a very visible, positive way.

 

Think about it . . . company image, profit, and morale should all see improvement when fewer injuries happen within the operations.

 

Good injury prevention can be broken into 2 distinct parts:

 

·       Identifying a hazard exists - Recognition

 

·       Implementing actions to mitigate the hazard - Control

 

Let’s take a look at the following story as an example of good injury prevention.

 

Laura enters the warehouse for her shift and notices a shipment of widgets has been delivered overnight.  The box’s size is deceiving because the contents weigh more than 150 pounds.  Laura readily realizes this is more than she can safely lift alone, as the weight appears on the shipment label.  As such, she quickly retrieves a dolly to safely move the box. 

 

What if Laura had not recognized the box’s weight or chose to not use the dolly to control the risk from lifting the box?

 

Her potential for a back injury would have been greatly increased.

 

As such, consistent reinforcement of hazard recognition and control for injury prevention with employees can go a long way toward better safety performance.

 

Point your attention first to protecting the hands, safeguarding the eyes, and preserving the back, as these are common body parts injured while on the job.

 

Hazard Communication

 

Hazard communication (HazCom) continues to be a top-cited violation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

 

So, it definitely should make the cut on any business’s “low-hanging fruit” safety item list.

 

To improve HazCom efforts within your organization’s safety management program, make sure you follow the tips below:

 

·       Have an up-to-date, written HazCom program.

 

·       Ensure HazCom training includes the written program’s contents, safety data sheets (SDS), labeling, chemical hazards, and the HazCom standard’s requirements.

 

·       Maintain ready work area access to SDS for employees.

 

·       Keep your chemical inventory information up to date.

 

·       Include HazCom in your normal inspection procedures.

 

We will visit inspections again in just a bit.

 

Safe Driving

 

Driving is still by far the riskiest act the average adult performs regularly.

 

It is second nature to most individuals, so the potential for inattention while driving is high.

 

Many workers have job duties that also require they drive vehicles while on company time. 

 

So, a safety management focus on safe driving will benefit workers both at and away from work.

 

So, what groundwork should you lay for effective safe driving awareness?

 

·       Make sure your company facilitates periodic defensive driving for employees.

 

·       Institute self-reporting for employee vehicle accidents & tickets while away from work.

 

·       Periodically perform driving record checks for those employees who drive on company time to instill accountability.

 

·       Ensure internal company procedures include information on distracted driving and safety rules while driving.

 

·       Include safe driving as a topic in training reinforcement meetings and conversations.

 

Photo by Piotr Chrobot on Unsplash

Emergency Preparedness

 

Emergencies often bring with them heightened feelings of fear and anxiety.

 

As such, people do not always act as desired in the face of these situations.

 

When coupled with a lacking emergency preparedness program, it can spell disaster.

 

Check out some items below to support a strong emergency preparedness program.

 

·       Perform a vulnerability assessment to identify the events that should be included in the site’s emergency preparations.

 

·       Ensure all employees have access to the emergency action plan and receive proper training. 

 

·       Include all emergency contact information next to every landline phone.

 

·       Perform practice drills as part of the program.

 

·       Have persons trained in basic first aid/CPR in attendance on each shift.

 

·       Use signs to remind employees of emergency procedures and designated shelter areas.

 

·       Keep emergency equipment well stocked and in good working condition.

 

Safety Inspections

 

Last but not least, safety inspections with proper corrective action can breathe new life into just about any safety management program.

 

Facilities cannot fix unknown issues, which means theses items often turn into problems over time.  

 

Safety inspections provide the means to find issues before they escalate.

 

Thus, potential pain points can be resolved before causing larger troubles.

 

So, how can you make safety inspections work for your site?

 

·       Develop standard inspection templates for ease of use by inspectors.

 

·       Integrate shorter spot walkthrough inspections into the program and perform these frequently.

 

·       Conduct longer inspections on a regular basis. 

 

·       Collect inspection findings and implement any needed corrective actions as soon as feasible.

 

·       Rotate inspectors regularly; fresh eyes can make all the difference in the potential issues spotted.

 

·       Share inspection findings and corrective actions with employees to promote additional safety engagement.

 

Closing Words

 

Low-performing safety programs often face many challenges.

 

Yet, the journey to better safety performance begins with the first step. 

 

One of the “low-hanging fruit” identified here could well be the perfect initial obstacle for your site to tackle.

 

Don’t let the ineffectiveness of your safety management program linger.

 

It simply is not good business to do so.

Super Simple Self-Care to Skyrocket Your Beauty Routines

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash.

When you are serious about looking your best, others around you may not truly appreciate the effort you put forth to make your appearance a reality.  In short, outlining a healthy hair routine and a skin and nail care regimen entails a lot of work.  Then implementing your plans costs you additional time, money, and energy. 

If you look at things this way, you can easily see the need for adequate self-care to prevent beauty burnout.  What is self-care?  It is simply actions or mindsets you take to promote your best well-being and health, whether mentally, emotionally, or physically.  

While beauty maintenance in and of itself presents a form of self-care, trying to keep up these routines have an impact on your mental and emotional states.  As such, below we’ll delve into super simple self-care for your mind and emotions.  As an added bonus, some of the self-care activities covered can actually support your overall beauty goals.  So, let’s dive in. 

A Cup of Tea and A Good Book

This self-care activity is one of my favorites.  You can do it just about anywhere and provides a perfect way to unwind. 

Moreover, green, black, and white teas have decent levels of antioxidants, which help to combat free radicals that play a role in the aging process (added plus for your beauty efforts). These teas have also been found to help fight diseases such as cancer in the body. 

Reading gives your mind an excellent vehicle to escape and dream, which you should welcome in the midst of the busy lives we all tend to lead today.  It also provides you with a wonderful excuse to unplug from all electronic devices, which can actually disrupt your normal sleep cycle. 

Just keep in mind, the teas listed above all contain caffeine.  Thus, herbal teas that are usually caffeine-free but have fewer antioxidants may be a better choice close to bedtime or for caffeine-sensitive individuals. 

A Day at the Spa

A spa day not only gives you a way to relax and focus on your mental and emotional health.  It can also give a little boost to your beauty endeavors, depending on the spa treatments you choose.  

Massages, saunas, and whirlpools all help to increase circulation in the body.  The enhanced blood flow provides better nourishment and oxygenation to tissues.  It also promotes more efficient removal of wastes from cells.  

Furthermore, professional body scrubs, mud baths, and facials can help to make at home skincare efforts more effective.   The exfoliation and detoxification you’ll receive from the professional services will help to give you a clean slate upon which to continue your skin-related beauty efforts. 

Daily Affirmations, Journaling, and Inspirational Quotes 

Daily affirmations, journaling, and inspirational quotes represent additional self-care behaviors that can assist to skyrocket your beauty routines.  How?  These help to reset and focus your mindset to improve your ability to slay your life and beauty goals. 

Many individuals find these activities cathartic in nature.  Especially with journaling, you purging the old to make room for the new.  The secret is to make sure the new brings you a sense of calm while prompting you to dream bigger and aim higher. 

Affirmations, journaling, and inspirational words should also encourage deeper self-reflection.  This reflection allows you the opportunity to address any areas of unhappiness, helping to make you more productive in all your life and beauty endeavors.   

Reconnect with Friends and Family

Last but not least, one of the best self-care activities out there is reconnecting with those important individuals in your life . . . your friends and family.  Humans are social beings by nature.  We need connection and closeness with others to truly thrive. 

Those we invite to share our life’s journey also serve as a powerful mirror for ourselves.  How can this help your beauty routine?  Family and friends can help to keep us accountable when we engage in unhealthy habits that can derail your beauty efforts.

  

Regardless of whom you choose for reconnection, you should make sure it’s not a one and done.  Remember, the goal is to deepen your relationship for continuation in the future.  Also, be sure to do an activity that will be fun for all parties involved.  Your reconnections should offer you the opportunity to relax and just be you without fear of rejection. 

Concluding Thoughts

Mental and emotional self-care activities can provide the means to take your beauty routines to the next level.  In fact, they can have a positive impact on your overall well-being and health outside of the beauty realms.  

Of the utmost importance is finding self-care that works to uplift you.  In this manner, you’ll be mentally and emotionally fortified to conquer in both beauty and life.