Motivating Employees to Support
Health & Safety Initiatives in the Workplace

1.	Use your H&S policy to demonstrate the company’s commitment to H&S.

How...
Ö	By having supervisors co-sign the H&S policy for their area and circulate it to employees.
Ö	By having supervisors take the time to review the H&S policy with their employees and explaining the concepts of team work and a results-orientated policy.
Ö	By having employees in the various departments/divisions demonstrate their support by signing the policy.
Ö	By posting the signed H&S policy in each department/division of the workplace.

2.	Use the Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) as an active resource to raise H&S concerns.

How...
Ö	By having a worker representative of the JHSC actively participate in monthly departmental/divisional management meetings.
Ö	By having different employees, each month, participate in a monthly "walk through" inspection performed by JHSC members.
Ö	By having supervisors communicate to employees on a regular, timely basis on how the organization plans to resolve its H&S concerns.
Ö	By seeking out the advice of employees when addressing H&S concerns.
Ö	By informing affected employees immediately about hazards and risks that have been identified.

3.	Use workplace H&S inspections as a tool to involve employees in identifying & resolving workplace H&S issues.

How...
Ö	By involving employees in completing daily checklist inspections on pieces of equipment, workstations, tools, and/or materials.
Ö	By having various staff with different expertise/presentation styles participate in monthly departmental meetings or toolbox sessions to teach employees how to inspect various aspects of their work to ensure all H&S requirements are met.
Ö	By asking employees to join their supervisor on weekly departmental divisional inspections.
Ö	By recording daily weekly inspections and corrective actions taken that include the time and date.

4.	Use the assessment and management of hazard and risk control as a source of information and activities in which all employees can participate.

How...
Ö	By informing all employees about the meaning of hazards & risks, assessment & controls.
Ö	By evaluating, as a departmental/divisional team, a job, task, work station, and work area each week to determine the hazards and risks.
Ö	By discussing with the affected workforce what suitable risk controls are involved in the evaluation of a job, task, workstation, and work area.
Ö	By using a team approach to frequently monitor your risk areas to ensure that the controls are working.
Ö	By informing employees about the procedure for hazard reporting, and monitoring its use.
Ö	By involving the work team(s) in calling attention to high risk H&S concerns.

5.	Use incident and accident investigations as a way of finding both immediate and root causes so that corrective action can be taken to facilitate both short and long term results.

How...
Ö	By involving employees in the investigation of all incidents and accidents (personal injury, property damage, near misses).
Ö	By recognizing the contributions made when employees participate in H&S activities.
Ö	By identifying and correcting a H&S problem before someone else gets hurt.
Ö	By involving work teams in making prevention the intention.

6.	Use emergency and first aid response planning as a way to prevent tragic events.

How...
Ö	By informing all employees about the plans for such emergencies as personal injury illness, fire, power failure, chemical spill, explosion, structural damage, confined space, rescue, etc.
Ö	By training employees in their emergency and first aid roles.
Ö	By testing emergency and first aid response plans with the participation of the workforce to ensure their effectiveness.
Ö	By involving employees in plans of action instead of reaction.

7.	Use general H&S rules to promote for a safe work environment.

How...
Ö	By having employee input on what rules should be in place.
Ö	By giving information sessions to all employees about these rules.
Ö	By asking employees their understanding of these critical rules.
Ö	By posting signs to reinforce the critical rules.
Ö	By making sure rules are consistently applied to "everyone".

8.	Use employee education and training as a participatory learning event.

How...
Ö	By involving employees in the identification of initial educational/training needs.
Ö	By using employee knowledge to evaluate every job to determine specific training needs.
Ö	By using proven, effective adult learning practices (such as involvement, repetition and reinforcement) and evaluating presentations to educate employees. (Do not rely on videos or written hand-outs only to educate your workforce. Adults learn by doing).
Ö	By reinforcing critical knowledge by posting instructions, check-lists, etc., in work areas where they are pertinent to the job/task.

9.	Use personal protective equipment (PPE) as the last means of protection.

How...
Ö	By ensuring the hazard is controlled at the source and employees know PPE is a secondary means of protection.
Ö	By ensuring all employees have a full understanding for the need and use of PPE.
Ö	By making sure that PPE is properly fitted for each employee.
Ö	By making sure that the use of PPE is consistently enforced where needed.

10.	Use employee orientation as a reliable way to introduce H&S practices at your workplace.

How...
Ö	By giving new, transferred or temporary employees a personal welcome and introduction to their new department/division of work.
Ö	By involving the division’s H&S employee representative in the initial orientation.
Ö	By assigning a "buddy" to the new, transferred or temporary employee as they become familiar with their new work environment and job tasks.
Ö	By explaining what their new roles in with regard to the H&S policy, general H&S rules, use & care of PPE, reporting of hazards, emergency and first aid response plans, general safe work practices, etc.

11.	Use promotion to profile H&S in the workplace.

How...
Ö	By profiling H&S at regular employee/staff meetings throughout the year.
Ö	By having monthly 20 minute H&S talks about concerns specific to your department/division of work.
Ö	By involving employees in the planning of H&S talks for their area.
Ö	By using a team approach to problem-solving a H&S concern raised by some one in a particular work area.
Ö	By requesting employees participate in and conduct informal H&S talks.
Ö	By involving employees in the planning, organizing and implementation of H&S recognition events throughout the year.

12.	Use on and off the job initiatives to adopt a total safety culture.

How...
Ö	By dedicating three H&S talks per year to off-the-job safety.
Ö	By providing seminars/workshops on home inspection programs, vehicle safety and inspection, wellness initiatives, etc.
Ö	By recognizing employees who are involved in community-based activities that enhance the quality of work life.
Ö	By sending information home with employees that pertains to family safety.
Ö	By personalizing H&S information on and off the job and providing supportive feedback.
Ö	By involving employees through their suggestions and participation in any activities which promote safe practice at home and at work.

WorkSafeNB Occupational Health Section: 07/99