Safety awareness is more than just a buzzword in the workplace; it’s a fundamental aspect of fostering a culture of safety and well-being among your employees.
And it’s an absolute imperative for industries that operate in high-risk environments, for example, construction, aviation, renewable energy, or transportation.
In this article, we’ll explore the concept of safety awareness in depth and provide actionable strategies for cultivating it within your workplace, including with the help of safety management software.
Contents:
What Is Safety Awareness?
In simple terms, safety awareness is a workplace culture of safety.
If you need a longer version, safety awareness is a mix of consciousness and understanding of potential safety hazards in the workplace, risks, and safety protocols in the workplace or any environment where safety is paramount.
It also includes managers’ and employees’ commitment to being proactive about safety metrics, preventing accidents and injuries.
Awareness has foresight. It is different from reacting to an accident after it happens. Awareness involves thinking about the chances of someone getting hurt and taking measures to keep oneself and others safe on the job.Frequent and transparent safety communication between management and employees is essential for a culture of awareness to flourish. Managers taking concerns seriously and practicing safety protocols strengthen the foundation.
Read more: Distribution of safety talks and 9 more features Fluix gives for effective safety management
Permanent Commitment Matters
Regarding the topic promotion, short-term campaigns can help raise awareness but awareness must be built into the company’s culture, so it is always on everyone’s mind.
It’s not that occasional training sessions aren’t vital to improving workplace safety. You’re most welcome to conduct them as needed, especially when onboarding, introducing new equipment, or changing operational procedures.
However, safety awareness requires a deeper time investment as it’s more about changing people’s mindsets.
The Basics Matter As Well
When it comes to adopting the approach, behavior-based safety steps in. For example, employees must follow simple steps like considering safety protocols regarding the equipment they use regularly. They must also consider ergonomics, maintaining a clean workplace, and other front-of-mind measures during the workday.
However, safety awareness goes further. It includes topics such as:
- Disaster procedures, including fires or theft
- Field hazards, such as exposure to heavy traffic or inclement weather
- Workplace violence or harassment
A solid awareness culture is comprehensive and considers all hazards employees face on the job.
The Importance of Safety Awareness
The first step in building a successful safety program is creating a culture of awareness. Employees who understand the importance of staying safe on the job will take it seriously and follow protocols.
Staying aware of safety becomes increasingly vital as employees spend more time on the job. Experienced workers know a lot about safety in their regular tasks, and thanks to daily toolbox talks workflow they have.
However, as repetitive tasks become part of muscle memory, they may focus on them less. Not consciously thinking about a task creates an opportunity for mistakes.
Safety awareness can reinforce the need to focus on preventing hazards and injuries even when performing a job that workers are familiar with.
From a business perspective, awareness of safety can save time and money. It decreases the likelihood of injuries, reduces downtime, and creates fewer incident reports.
Real-World Safety Awareness Examples
Even seemingly minor efforts can significantly prevent incidents. Here are some safety awareness examples that can help illustrate the procedures in action.
1. Reminding a coworker to wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE)
Suppose an employee notices that a coworker is about to weld but wearing only some of the correct PPE. In this case, the welder isn’t wearing the correct footwear.
The employee reminds the welder to wear steel-toed leather boots before welding, even though it doesn’t seem as vital as other PPE. The welder tells her he is distracted today and forgot to change his boots.It would have been easy for the employee to skip mentioning the overlooked PPE to her coworker. Still, she knows every detail matters because the company has a strong safety awareness culture.
2. Conducting regular toolbox talks
A construction crew is preparing to pour a concrete basement for a new home. The team has performed the task numerous times, but the foreperson takes 15 minutes to run a toolbox talk before beginning.
Even though a few workers grumble, their company emphasizes frequent communication about job hazards. The talk covers general topics such as lifting risks and dust exposure.
However, it also encompasses more nuanced issues, such as the dangers of weak concrete mix, cracking, and working in cold weather.
Suppose even one worker remembers a safety measure that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. In that case, the so-called wasted time taken for the talk becomes the most well-used 30 minutes of the workday.
3. Distributing safety information in time
And this is an example from one of Fluix’s customers. In case it’s the first time you hear about Fluix, we are a workflow automation platform that provides extensive safety management functionality from safety inspections to approvals to distribution of safety-critical documentation.
And this is how our client Titan Airways, the UK’s leading charter airline, approaches safety awareness across their teams. Instead of slow paper processes, they’ve adopted automation solutions in Fluix, ensuring safety and security.
“When we have a last minute charter to a complex region, our Flight Operations department can get important airfield briefs uploaded into Fluix, so the pilots operating the flight can receive critical safety information immediately.”
Quoting Andrew Taggart, Line Training Captain at Titan Airways:
You can find more tactics from their success story here.
5 Ways to Promote Safety Awareness
There are many good ways to build a safety culture and make it simple for employees to follow protocols.
1. Streamline the Reporting Process
Using a digital workflow to create training programs, incident report forms, and safety tickets can simplify processes. Employees can access information and create safety reports easily.
A workflow automation system like Fluix puts all your safety information in one location. You can make updates and share information in real-time.
2. Use Clear Markings and Signage
You can support safety awareness by supplying signs and posters demonstrating proper safety procedures. Post them in the areas where employees will use them. Mark walkways, storage areas, and equipment bays.
3. Involve Employees in the Process
Ask front-line workers what they believe are the most vital safety considerations. Incorporate their suggestions into safety plans. Their involvement increases buy-in.
4. Conduct Regular Training
Any safety training guide would tell you that having regular training sessions and toolbox talks as often as your workplace conditions require is a good idea. You may choose to train employees monthly, quarterly or annually on procedures. Other tasks may require one-time training.
5. Keep Open Communication Lines
Employees should feel comfortable discussing safety awareness concerns with management without fear of repercussions.
Creating Safety Awareness in Your Workplace with Fluix
Implementing a culture of safety doesn’t have to be complex. Using a digital workflow that focuses exclusively on safety makes the process easier.
Ten years of serving safety-critical sectors have turned Fluix into a dedicated workplace safety tool. It allows you to manage and store all your safety documents in one place, supporting safety awareness as a core value in your business.
And such features as distribution of safety communications, automated notifications, toolbox talks, JHA pack distribution, safety inspections, and more will help shift safety awareness from theory into practice.
