Kinds of Safety Meetings
Kinds of Safety Meetings
In the December 2005 and January 2006 articles, I pointed out to you many factors that you should consider when determining the best method for delivery of your safety presentations, i.e. age of your workers, educational level, experience, length of meeting, extent of prior safety training, attitude toward work and management, and the safety issues to be addressed. There are all kinds of formats from formal to informal (tailgate meetings). Here are some suggestions based on the types of safety hazards that are common in the dental laboratory.
Formal meetings are most likely to be used for annual training that is required by OSHA and information that is pertinent to all workers. These meetings are planned and announced in advance. Specific issues are typically addressed such as emergency actions that would affect all workers. These actions would include fire safety, fire extinguisher use, medical needs, first aid, eyewash station use, evacuation procedures, clean up of spills of hazardous chemicals and workplace violence.
This formal meeting may also be used to address recent accidents that require everyone’s attention, changes in company safety trends or management directives for legal and insurance requirements. This type of meeting can also be used to report on annual or quarterly safety reviews so workers can see the results of prior safety training.
Informal meetings usually occur with small groups or individuals to address a recurring problem such as non-use of safety eyewear or other personal protective equipment. An informal meeting may be conducted by a technician who is competent in a certain task to instruct other workers who are having a problem with the procedure. It can occur impromptu when the workers needing the training are preparing to perform a particular procedure. This type of hands-on instruction would only cover one topic.
One-on-one safety meetings should be short - not more than 5-10 minutes and should occur frequently. These types of meetings may not be taken as criticism but as a regular routine and will provide an opportunity to highlight safety.
Other meetings called for other purposes can also be used to highlight a particular safety issue. Continuous communication of the safety message will keep the issue in front of workers. Use a few minutes in another type of meeting to point out a task performed safely or a recent near miss or accident.
The format that you use to present your message will depend on your overall objective. The most common format is the lecture that is presented by someone who works in the laboratory or by an invited speaker. People can only absorb so much in this type of format; therefore, you need to combine a lecture with audiovisuals, discussions or hands-on participation.
At Safelink we have found it helpful to gain participation by the workers by playing a game or providing rewards for participation. It makes the time go by much faster and the workers really get involved in the topic. For a lengthier meeting, you could invite others to participate so that the workers are not listening to one speaker. Invite an equipment manufacturer or supplier to participate to give a hands-on demonstration of a new piece of equipment.
If you have PowerPoint equipment, you can make the presentation more meaningful and personal by taking digital photos of the lab and incorporating them into your presentation.
Incorporate reading material and written exercises into the meeting. This information can be used to reinforce the learning and test the workers on how much information they absorbed.
Demonstrations and hands-on practice are also recommended when possible. This may include reviewing the information on a Material Safety Data Sheet for a new product or trying out a new procedure. Remember to move along slowly for a hands-on practice and take it step by step. Give ample time for each participant to try.
Praise and recognition are necessary during training sessions and after training. Praise workers at every opportunity for incorporating safety into their job. Rewarding individuals and groups for safety can be effective. It can be as simple as calling a short meeting to recognize and honor workers who have done an outstanding job with safety. If one of the hazards that you identified initially was employees frequently cutting themselves in a particular department and you notice the incident has declined significantly after some training, then recognize those workers. Treat them to doughnuts (or fruit for the healthy-minded) one morning. For groups and individuals you can present them with certificates, mugs, plaques and other items to recognize their achievements or just praise them publicly. Your employees are your most important assets and their safety counts.
I hope your safety meetings are well underway for this year and that they are providing positive information so everyone knows how to work safely. Don’t forget to document your safety trainings as OSHA requires you to retain these records for three years. Have a safe year.
REMINDER
Dental laboratories in the states of Hawaii, Nevada, and Washington must post in a conspicuous place within the laboratory the completed form 300A for the year 2005 showing recordable injuries and illnesses that occurred in the lab in 2005. This form is a summary of the job-related injuries and illnesses. Post this information from Feb. 1 through April 30. You must retain these forms for five years.
Do you have a question for Mary Borg? E-mail jdt@nadl.org.
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