Using Safety Training to Jump Start your Safety Culture

A few weeks ago, I was having a plumbing issue at my house so like anyone else living in 2023, I logged on to YouTube in search of instructions. I proceeded to spend the next 3 hours searching through a vast array of videos trying to figure out which one of them addressed my exact problem through a reputable source and explained it in such a way that my non-plumber brain could figure out how to perform the job. Once I discovered the right video and watched it, taking diligent notes of the materials I would need, I got to the end of the video only to figure out that I didn’t have the correct tool to perform the job leaving me in the same place I started, a problem that couldn’t be fixed without the proper tool…. Infuriating…. I know…… we have all been there.

Through the process of figuring out this plumbing job, I realized that it reminds me a lot of the Spring Safety Trainings. We identify a problem that needs to be addressed, be it employee health, fires on machines, falls, or a leaky pipe. Upon identifying the problem, we take the time to figure out how to address it and then, through reputable and knowledgeable trainers, we teach the employees about how to correct the problem. Often times though, after going through the instruction, the employees find themselves without the tools to fix the problem, rendering the training useless just like my YouTube videos. As a company, you make a huge investment in safety by sending your employees to the spring training but how do you ensure that the employees have the support and tools to implement their new knowledge? There are a lot of ways to implement the new safety policies and practices learned during the training but the most effective way is to integrate them into your company’s culture so they become second nature. The truth is, changing your culture is not easy and just like you can’t eat an elephant in one bite, you can’t change culture overnight, it takes time, consistency and baby steps.

My recommendation is that you use the safety trainings as a stepping off point for developing your safety culture. While the information is still fresh, sit down with your crews and evaluate the information you learned and compare it to your company’s culture, looking for two or three high exposure opportunities to reduce risk. These should be areas where, if not addressed, may lead to serious injury or even death. Once you identify these areas for improvement, use the information from the safety trainings to begin to address them. With time and consistency, you will notice these exposures start to be well controlled and you will be able to identify new areas that need to be addressed.

There is a human tendency to want to flip a switch and have things change overnight. The trouble with this approach is, while well intentioned, it often fails because its simply too much, too soon. When developing a highquality safety program, it is critical to not give in to this desire but instead, make slow changes, addressing major exposures which allows safety to become second nature and, “just the way we do business”, making it much more likely to stick.

Acadia is pleased to share this material for the benefit of its customers. Please note, however, that nothing herein should be construed as either legal advice or the provision of professional consulting services. This material is for informational purposes only, and while reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this information, no warranty or representation is made as to accuracy or completeness. Recipients of this material must utilize their own individual professional judgment in implementing sound risk management practices and procedures.