Safety Training Must Account For Interruptions

On one of my most recent airplane flights, as I sat myself into my aisle seat and secured my seat belt, the chief flight attendant began her announcements including the safety demonstration required on every flight. You know the one I am speaking of: seat belts, oxygen masks, floor-track lighting and emergency exits. I could probably demo the safety demonstration if the airline were in a pinch having heard it so many times.

Just prior to the safety demonstration, the flight attendant welcomed a few new “first-time flyers.” As I pretty much live on airplanes some days, it always amazes when I see mature adults taking their first flight – or should I say, finally getting around to taking their first flight. I can only imagine what it is like to experience a flight for the first time in mid-life. (If you’re 45 years old and have never been on a plane, then you wouldn’t really understand the jokes about airline service would you?)

As we were taxiing into take-off position and as the safety demonstration was taking place, a group of three men, in the emergency row, were having a great old conversation amongst themselves and loud enough that I, three rows ahead of them, was having a hard time hearing the safety demonstration. That’s not a problem for me as I’ve been through the safety demo thousands of times, but what about the first-time flyers on the plane? Wouldn’t this be the first time they’ve ever heard the announcement? Wouldn’t this be important information?

SAFETY ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: Does your safety training account for interruptions? Interruptions distract people from getting ALL of the information. A cell phone ringing during a toolbox or tailgate meeting distracts just enough that not every word is heard. Side-talking during a safety meeting means the person you’re talking to and yourself are not getting all of the information. Muttering under your breath impairs the attention of others if they can hear something. A safety attitude is an attitude of courtesy – to ensure that others AND yourself are safe. You can’t do that if you’re distracting others. And if you're distracting others, you're a hazard on the job.

Supervisors, before you hold your safety briefing, make sure you minimize as many distractions as possible – cell phones off, full attention, quiet place away from traffic and other noises as much as possible. Remember, interruptions impair learning. When learning is impaired, that’s another hazard on the job.

Try SMS Text Messaging For Gen Y Safety

Have you got a crew that includes a few green hands? How Baby Boomers learn and how Millenials (Gen Y) learn are completely different. Are you expecting your new hires under 25 to sit down and pour over the Safety Manual with the same enthusiasm that an older worker would?

Remember, Gen Y is the video game generation – where things have to be fast and exciting to keep their attention. A safety manual is not a riveting read. The one thing this generation does well is Text Messaging or SMS. So why not use that technology to get your safety messages through to them?

PowerPoint (aka Corporate Karaoke – that’s my trademarked term) is not a learning tool that appeals to Gen Y. But short bursts of information will get through to your younger workers. So why not set up a program of daily (or several times daily) Safety Text Messages of 145 characters or less?

Here are some samples of Text Messages you could send right now.

• “PPE check. Gloves? Hard hat? Glasses? Hearing? Got them?”
• “Stop. Look around. Find a hazard and fix it right now.”
• “Have you read the MSDS of everything you’re handling today?”
• “Got a question? Ask! Don’t prove you don’t know what you’re doing.”
• “What did you discuss at today’s tool-box meeting?”
• “What have you done to make “zero” a possibility today?”

You could also include specifics from your Safety Manual – things that are specific to the job and you can repeatedly address points that you really want to drive home.

SAFETY ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: Most young workers check their cell phones at break time. Why not have something worth saving their life waiting for them when they break? Sure, there is a cost to this program. But it’s far cheaper than the cost of bad publicity for your organization as the result of an incident. Keep all of your workers focused on the task at hand. Don’t expect the tool-box or tailgate meeting to be retained any longer than about an hour. Gen Y’s can be good workers and you can help them instill a Safety Attitude if you only figure out a way to speak to them in a way that they will listen.

Lessons From The Foreman

Len is a foreman for a construction crew in the bustling Oil Sands region of Northern Alberta. He is a little rough around the edges, uses some fairly colourful language and is a little on the loud side. My guess that his personality is the result of working for many years with mostly men in a noisy environment. You know how guys talk when there are few women around? Len is definitely one of the boys.

In our conversation at the airport, as we both awaited flights, we spoke of many things. Two things in particular got my attention: something his father taught him as well as how he has found a way to reduce incidents and accidents on the job.

"My Dad always told me to make sure you have a lot of paper in your wallet," said Len referring to having several trades tickets and certifications. "Dad said that once you get those papers, ain't nobody able to take that stuff away from you. You always have that."

"The more you know, the more you learn, the easier life gets," I added.

"They can't suck the learning out of your head," Len smiled.

It's a simple self-development philosophy really: the more you know, the more you've been certified, the more paper you carry, the more you will be paid. Why? Because you're more valuable.

As Len and I sat at the airport, we also talked about safety in the workplace.

"I've got a crew of guys who work 'twenty-on.' They usually work tens or twelves and the first three days back from days-off are tough," he said. "The guys are still off-work mentally. I've got to watch over them a little more at that time."

"But the worst," he said leaning in toward me, "is the three days just before they head home. When I see guys losing it - yelling at other guys, I know they're not thinking about the job. They're tired and their brains have already gone home even if their bodies are still at work. That's the most dangerous time. When they get like that, I make sure that we have a few extra toolbox meetings. Keep them focused. Keep them present and we all get to go home, safely."

Are you losing it at work for no reason? If you are or someone you work with is, then they're not focused. They're not mentally present and something could happen that could affect others.

Safety Attitude Adjustment: How often are you just letting disruptive behaviour slide? You don't have to be in management to take responsibility on the job. Check in with co-workers who seem a little edgy or unfocused. Help figure out what's going on in their world. If you don't, they could say or do something that could cause the loss of a good customer, a good working relationship or even a life. It's up to you to make sure that the work you do everyday doesn't get undermined by someone who isn't present and focused. It's your workplace too. Step up.