To maximize productivity and build a successful manufacturing business, you need to keep your employees safe. What’s the best way to accomplish this goal? Use these five strategies to make safety an essential part of your manufacturing culture.
Hold Everyone Responsible
If someone sees a problem, ignoring it shouldn’t be an option. Employees, supervisors and even the CEO should understand reporting dangerous situations is not only expected but also required. To get your message across, overcommunicate your safety policy. Post bulletins throughout your plant, send out weekly reminders, bring up safety at every meeting and mention it in daily conversations. In addition, ask managers to consistently model appropriate behaviors. When workers see supervisors decluttering walkways and/or halting production to examine a potential issue, they will know they need to do the same.
Establish Clear Procedures
Besides recognizing problems, employees also should know exactly what to do when they spot an issue. Have a system in place, review it often and provide frequent reminders. When workers can repeat from memory, “If I see a hazard, I will follow these five steps,” they will be able to immediately snap into action. This leads to faster response times and leaves less room for error.
Emphasize the Importance of Training
For workers to be well informed, you must educate them. Make safety training a mandatory part of the onboarding process and require ongoing training as well. Keep records of who has completed what. This shows your employees you are serious about preventive programs. Furthermore, encourage supervisors and managers to ask random on-the-spot questions throughout each day so people can keep their skills sharp.
Take Every Report Seriously
To have an effective safety program, management must take every complaint seriously. After all, if you tell your employees to report issues and then promptly ignore them, they will stop reporting. Be patient as, inevitably, you will receive unjustified complaints. And, this will use up time and resources. However, don’t forget to look at the bigger picture. If you lose ten hours each year on false alarms but prevent a $1,000,000 accident, your organization is way ahead.
Make Maintenance a Priority
Saying safety is important and then neglecting to take care of your facility sends a mixed message. Set aside the time and the funding to inspect, maintain and repair your plant. This includes the building itself, machinery, tools, personal protective equipment (PPE) and, of course, the employee break room. Finally, be sure maintenance is ongoing and routine, rather than a last-minute race before each inspection.
Are You Hoping to Add Safety Conscious Manufacturing Employees to Your Team?
At Connectology, out professional recruiters place top-level talent with manufacturing organizations throughout the upper Midwest. We’ll work to fully understand your company’s culture and business needs, so we can match you with only the best-fit candidates. Learn more about the benefits of hiring through Connectology today!
