To keep your employees safe, your organization works diligently to maintain effective safety policies, training programs, safety incentives, and provides proper PPE. Yet, workplace incidents continue to result in employee injuries. Why?

The truth is, regardless of the environment, training, or tools provided to your employees, your organization’s management is ultimately responsible for calculating the acceptability of workplace risks.

Although you can effectively train your workforce on safe work practices, individuals are unique in how they will respond in certain situations, depending on their unique experiences, traits, abilities, habits, and attitudes related to safety. Most at-risk behaviors occur intuitively—the result of past experiences which lead to anticipated outcomes. The role of feelings and emotions as the primary motivating source of risky behaviors is becoming increasingly evident.

Younger workers are more likely to have job-related accidents than older workers. The younger worker usually lacks experience and is more likely to break the rules than a seasoned worker whose years of life experience make their actions safer.

What motivates your employees to choose risky behaviors versus safer alternatives, and are they even aware they make risky decisions? The answer to these questions reveals just how essential Safety meetings are and how important it is to teach and train your workforce effectively to ensure the safety message sinks in.

Please take a moment to review this video, The Accident Cascade, which demonstrates how risky behaviors can result in serious injury, or even death.

Rick Means, Director of Safety and Education, is available to help members draw up safety plans and suggest topics for safety meetings. Contact Rick at 360-943-9198, Ext. 118 or [email protected].