This document provides guidance for supervisors to inspire safe work practices. It discusses the supervisor's role in safety leadership, common safety challenges, and ways to involve employees and conduct effective safety training. Key responsibilities of a safety leader include acting on safety issues, conducting applicable training, communicating safety information, and encouraging employee participation in the safety process. Common challenges include priorities conflicts, communication breakdowns, and ensuring compliance. The document offers suggestions for supervisors such as starting shifts with a safety message, addressing all safety concerns, promoting good housekeeping, and involving employees in inspections and safety discussions.

1. SUPERVISOR SAFETY
TRAINING
What it Takes to Inspire Your People to Work Safe
Steve Wise - June 2010

2. SUPERVISOR SAFETY
TRAINING
Keeping your People safe at work is a never
ending process - and one that can easily consume
most of your time.
As Safety Leaders - it must be our daily mission to
ensure that our People complete what we ask of
them - without mishap or incident.
This presentation is being offered to give
Supervisors from various Industries - ideas or
guidance in carrying out their mission...of Keeping
Their People Safe.

3. Supervisor Safety
Training
What a Safety Leader / Supervisor - is to Me
Supervisor Safety Challenges
My Safety Offerings to Supervisors
My Safety History / Background

4. What a Safety Leader is to Me?
A SAFETY LEADER -
✦ Is the ONE RESPONSIBLE for the safety of his / her work group and
the safe performance and execution of work group operations.
✦ ACTS ON all safety Issues that are raised - ensures their completion
- and communicates their status to their people.
✦ CONDUCTS SAFETY TRAINING that is needed and applicable to a
work group - that includes involvement and safety takeaways.
✦ COMMUNICATES SAFETY INFORMATION in various forms not only
to their work group, but up the chain of command as well.
✦ ENCOURAGES and EXPECTS his / her people to be part of the
company safety process and takes action to involve them in it.
✦ KNOWS how safety requirements and performance fit into the
organizations business strategy and relates such to his / her people.

5. What a Supervisor is to Me?
Leader Communicator Planner
Administrator Well Organized Coach
Disciplinarian Time Manager Co-Worker
Counselor Employee Change Agent
Safety Champion Flexible / Adaptable Learner / Teacher

6. Supervisor Safety
Challenges
People Issues: sub-par performance, relationships, attitude,
injury prone, discipline, new / transferred employees, etc.
Conflicting Priorities: production vs. safety, using defective
equipment to complete a task, management single focus, etc.
Communication Breakdowns: mis-understandings, unclear
directions, language barriers, outdated procedures, etc.
Managing Time: deadlines, schedule changes, manpower
differences, production vs. administrative functions, etc.
Tool & Equipment Issues: T&E inspections, lack of the right /
proper T&E, improper maintenance, breakdowns / downtime, etc.
Work Environment: poor housekeeping, union vs. management
differences, stress from possible layoffs, off shift differences, etc.

7. Supervisor Safety
Challenges
Training Issues: lack of supervisory training, limited time for training,
outdated training methods, providing safety takeaways, etc.
Work Group Involvement: lack of employee safety involvement /
interest, being part of the process, promoting active participation, etc.
Compliance Issues: internal and external safety requirements, how
they differ and are similar, what actions are needed to attain, etc.
Sharing Responsibility: encouraging work group employees that
safety is their responsibility too and watch out for safety of co-workers.
Safety Time: knowing what time the organization affords to safety, and
maximizing it to provide the most safety impact to work group.
Accident Investigation: knowing how to conduct that properly
identifies the root cause and taking actions to prevent its reoccurrence.

8. What are ways
in which You
the Safety Leader
can keep
your People Safe?

9. My Safety Offerings for Supervisors
Supervisor - Safety Actions
Your People’s Safety must be your top priority.
Start each Shift with a Safety Message.
Act on all Safety Concerns raised to you - and as
quickly as you can.
Make sure to follow-up on outstanding safety concerns.
Ensure that Safety Rules are understood and followed
by all.
Always have your “Safety Eyes” on.
When you see a Safety concern, infraction, hazard -
deal with it right away.

10. My Safety Offerings for Supervisors
Supervisor - Safety Actions
Promote good housekeeping – it should be done daily –
and by all members of your work group.
Encourage your People to report their Near Misses.
✦ Such are great live and learn examples – that can result
in action to prevent their reoccurrence – and an actual
injury from happening.
✦ Employees should never be disciplined for reporting a
Near Miss.
Ensure that Workplace Inspections (i.e., Vehicle,
Equipment Logs) are completed daily and acted on when
non-conformances are identified.
Encourage your People to have a Safety Voice.

11. My Safety Offerings for Supervisors
Supervisor - When You Witness an Unsafe Act
Stop the action right away.
NEVER LOOK THE OTHER WAY!
Ask them if they know and understand how to
perform the operation safely.
If not, explain it to them or have another Co-Worker
that knows how - show them how.
Ask them if there is anything that is preventing them
from following the procedure safely.
Act on any issue from this discussion that needs to
be addressed.

12. My Safety Offerings for Supervisors
Supervisor - Actions to Involve Your Employees in Safety
Rotate the responsibility for reviewing your organizational Safety
Bulletins / Briefings / Communications - with your People.
Assign someone to select a Safety Rule from your organizations
Safety Handbook to read and discuss it.
Review Safety Accidents or Incidents that have occurred in or
outside your work group / organization – and have your People
come up with recommendations on why it happened and how it
could have been prevented.
Openly discuss Employee Safety Concerns that have been
raised – and advise your People of their status and actions
taken / to be taken - to address them.
Conduct Workplace Safety Audits on a frequent basis, using your
Safety Reps to identify non-conformances in both operations
and plant facilities - and see to it that they are corrected timely.

13. My Safety Offerings to Supervisors
Supervisor - Safety Postings
The posting of a simple Safety Picture in your workplace - can send a
strong Safety Message.
Pictures of Safety Incidents including Injuries - not only get your
People’s attention - but can be used to get them thinking - “Could it
happen to Them?”
The use of such Safety Pictures will have to be tailored to your work
environment -
✦ Heavy Manufacturing Plant - My experience is that the use of very
dramatic and gory pictures, especially those pertaining to similar
operations that are performed - work the best.
✦ Office Environment - The above pictures will not work, nor are they
suitable for such a working environment.
Such Pictures can be used in Safety Meetings - simply by displaying it
and asking your People what actions could have been taken to avoid
such incidents - or avoid getting injured from.

14. Safety Pictures & Their Message
A SAFETY PICTURE
CAN BE WORTH
1,000 WORDS
What does this Picture
tell us?
How can you use this
Picture to Help your
People work Safe?

15. OH SHIX! - Lessons to be Learned
from the proceeding Picture
Inspect your Tools & Equipment daily.
Do not use T&E that are found to be unsafe and in poor
condition.
Be prepared for the unexpected.
Don’t take chances / risks / shortcuts.
Make sure that you wear the appropriate PPE - Personal
Protective Equipment for the job that you are performing.
Always expect your T&E to fail - and position your body
accordingly.
Always follow the Safety Rules that pertain to the task at
hand.

16. Safety Training
If you conduct Safety Training -
Your goal should be
to ensure that your People
take something away
that they can
use and benefit from
- either in their Workplace
or at Home.

17. My Safety Offerings for Supervisors
Supervisor - Safety Training
Make sure that you know and understand the Safety Topic prior to
conducting / presenting.
Encourage and expect 2-way communication when conducting
Work Group Safety Training - Get your People involved!
Frequently use Visual Aides to communicate your Safety Message.
Used correctly, it is a great Safety Training Tool.
Train your People in Safety Topics that apply directly to what they
do and what they need to know in order to perform their job safely.
Recognize Safety Performance – both Individually and as a Team.
Supplement your Safety Training with outside Safety Experts -
such as local Vendors, Fire Department, Safety Instructors, etc.
CONDUCT SAFETY TRAINING.....WITH A PASSION!

18. My Safety Offerings to Supervisors
Supervisor - Safety Communications
Walk your Safety Talk - Your People must see you
do what you say.
How you communicate with your People regarding
Safety - will determine the type of Safety Message
your People hear and how well they accept it.
If you promise one of your People that you will look
into their Safety Concern - then do so & timely.
Be a frequent Safety Voice - talk about Safety often
and tell your People how they can benefit from it.
Talk about Safety from your Heart - and mean it!

19. My Safety History
Safety Leader of both Repair Divisions / Locations and HQ Office.
Taught many Safety Topics including - Pinch Point Safety, LOTO, PPE,
Ergonomics, Welding and Electrical Safety, and Accident Investigation.
Conducted numerous Accident Investigations attaining the goal of
finding Root Cause(s) and prevented any reoccurrence.
Established working Safety relationships with Supervisors, Union
Safety Reps, and Workers - and including them as part of the process.
Produced many Job Hazard Analysis in conjunction with Workforce -
to identify and control all applicable job hazards.
Extensive experience in complying with California Environmental Rules
& Regulations, and their impact on the workforce.
Almost complete with my Masters of Science in Occupational Safety
and Health Degree @ Columbia Southern University.

20. Questions or
Comments?
Send them to me via “Linked in”
I hope that this has helped you in some
way - to Keep Your People Safe.
Steve Wise