You’re responsible for worker safety in your manufacturing operations. What’s the best way to improve it?

Involve the people that are doing the job 24/7-they are the best to know the risks of the job they are doing because that are doing it.

Reporting hazards must be made simple, and workers must be incentivised for reporting hazards. Daily / Weekly Meetings must start by addressing the saftey hazards first :-)

The first step is to assess the risks in your process and find ways to nullify those risks. To start the risk assessment, company management strong focus and commitment is also required. So that the company can move towards or maintain a safety culture.

Conduct regular risk assessments to identify and evaluate potential hazards in the workplace. Develop strategies to eliminate or reduce these risks and implement preventive measures.

Daily tool box meetings, SOP(Standard Operating procedure) discussions are traditional regular practices in workplaces while starting tasks/jobs. A Japanese concept called Kiken Youchi Training(KYT) has become popular in the plant I work in. This is an activity wherein workmen are trained to identify hazards and mitigate them on their own rather than supervisors explaining it to them. In fact, workmen can explain their hazards better than mere watchers. Basic Job Hazard Analysis(JHA) and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment(HIRA) matrices should be set right and KYT should be implemented to provide a sense of safety leadership among all employees.

The second step to improving worker safety is to implement safety standards and procedures that comply with the relevant regulations and industry best practices. You can use frameworks such as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) or ISO 45001 (International Organization for Standardization) to guide your safety management system. You should also document and communicate your safety policies and expectations to your workers, and provide them with adequate training and resources to follow them. By implementing safety standards, you can reduce the chances of accidents and injuries.

"Adhering to established safety standards is crucial for creating a secure and reliable foundation, ensuring the well-being of all individuals involved in any given undertaking."

Além de adotar estruturas como OSHA ou ISO 45001 e as NRs, é fundamental comunicar claramente as políticas de segurança aos funcionários e fornecer-lhes o treinamento necessário para cumpri-las. Além disso, é importante estabelecer sistemas de monitoramento e avaliação para garantir a conformidade contínua e identificar áreas que possam precisar de ajustes.

Comply with SOP is the best way to execute the job. But we still have room to improve base on experience to get more easier, more less time, more waste ( if any ). But it should still follow the standart. ISO, OSHA, risk assesment etc

Safety standards need to be simple to follow, clearly and reliably communicated and regularly checked. Even if you have great rules in your work environment, how often do you as a leader check if they are understood and can be applied? Standards and rules must go full circle from good design, good communication, regular check and good adaption or coaching.

In my experience, Management committment is the first and foremost important thing that is necessary to build Safety culture. Workers follow what they see from their Leadership team's walking the talk. Leaders must demonstrate unwavering committment to Safety. Every interaction with the workers or any staff of the organization should cover atleast one discussion on Safety. Leaders should visit the shop floor regularly and everytime, and make it a habit to ask the workers questions around Safety habits, concerns and opportunities for improvements. Questions can be like "In your work area, what one small think you can do today to improve Safety of your workplace". Audits & actions are standard methods. Culture building is fundamental.

Safety sign. Many type of safety sign. It can be related to hazardous area, warning sign or simple sign ( exit route, assembly area, wet floor etc )

This one is important: How to decide which sequence to follow to mitigate risks? I have best experience to establish the "STOP" rule for mitigation after near misses, risk assessments of accidents: 1. Substitute, 2. Technical solution, 3. Organizational, 4. Personal. So if safety products are safer technology, go for it where possible. If it is PPE (personal protective equipment) it should be our last option if nothing else is possible.

The third step to improving worker safety is to use safety products that can protect your workers from various hazards and risks. You can choose from a wide range of products, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), safety signs and labels, emergency response kits, fire extinguishers, and alarms. You should also consider investing in products that can improve the ergonomics and efficiency of your manufacturing operations, such as adjustable workstations, lifting devices, and automation systems. By using safety products, you can enhance the comfort and performance of your workers.

Monitoring of the step or grade of your team related safety can be improve also by conducting safety meeting/tool box. We can discuss about any incident, how to avoid, how to face if its happen, the risk if happen. We can discuss about the incoming job, about risk / hazard and how to reduce it, PPE required , any experience or same incident during executed the same job and how to avoid it, bit it should done in both side operation as the preparation and maintenance as executor

Thoroughly capturing all incidents within a quality system, implementing a corrective and preventative action to all safety incidents and adding a verification and evidence of effectiveness phase is key to having a robust safety system. Create a cadence of accountability by implementing a platform to openly review all safety incidents with your entire team. Encourage feedback from all levels to help better understand the failure and how it can be avoided or altogether mitigated.

Além de métricas reativas, como taxas de incidentes e tempo perdido, também é essencial acompanhar indicadores preventivos, como a identificação de quase acidentes e a satisfação dos trabalhadores com as condições de segurança. Esses indicadores podem oferecer insights valiosos sobre áreas de risco potencial e ajudar a implementar medidas corretivas proativas para evitar acidentes no futuro. Além disso, solicitar feedback regularmente de funcionários e partes interessadas pode fornecer uma visão holística do desempenho e cultura de segurança, facilitando a identificação de lacunas e oportunidades de melhoria contínua.

First and foremost is continuous training and awareness about safety. Every aspect of process should have safety at back of mind and come up with tested contingency plans

Do you have good leading and lagging KPIs? If not I can recommend to think about it and establish a good way to measure them to show progress. Lagging could be the classic ones from the Heinrich Pyramid (recordables, near misses, unsafe conditions, serious incidents), leading ones are usually speed of correction, adherence to rules or audit results.

How to build a culture for safety performance? A famous quote I came across in my safety responsibility is that culture is always there, for better or worse, even if we do not spend time to build one. It is in my opinion a leadership task to build a safety culture and ensure each employee and team member can participate and live it. The can be done by joint activities, but even more important is that employees see every day how leadership supports safety in the shop floor or at the job site.

I think it isn’t about “promoting” a safety culture. People should feel safe in the first place, which many don’t. A leader’s actions speak louder than words. People aren’t stupid, they know if management truly cares. Recently I had a worker tell me that officially “health and safety” is in the top 3 priorities. However, when it comes down to money, safety and quality are easily and often overlooked. The goal should be that EVERYONE leaves the plant in the evening the same way they came in the morning. Zero incidents/ accidents should be the standard at all times. No excuses!

You build a safety culture by everyone at all levels showing they own their safety and care deeply about the safety of others. Leaders must make safety a priority in their actions and the way they approach everything daily must reflect that mindset. You must work to improve processes to make them safer without blame but you must take every opportunity to eliminate unsafe behaviors. Bad behaviors and lack of ownership by leaders and by teammates is want degrades a culture when it comes to safety.

Major industrial groups offer challenges between their various companies on themes such as safety. The aim is to challenge each other and remind us of best practices, while having fun at the same time. Generally speaking, some prizes offer the chance to visit other companies in the group, often located abroad.

Large industrial groups provide challenges on safety and other related topics between their numerous enterprises. The goal is to have fun while pushing one another and reminding each other of best practices. Generally speaking, certain awards come with the opportunity to visit other member companies, many of which are overseas.

To promote a positive safety culture in a manufacturing site, focus on: 1. Leadership Commitment: 2. Clear Policies: 3. Training Programs: 4. Employee Involvement: 5. Safety Incentives: 6. Regular Audits and Inspections: 7. Communication Channels: 8. Emergency Preparedness: 9. Continuous Improvement: 10. Promote accessibility Remember, creating a positive safety culture is an ongoing process that requires commitment and involvement from everyone in the organization.

Leadership commitment Empowerment of employees Are the core values those make workers more agile and safe before, during and accomplish their goals with ZERO incident inshaAllah Best of luck for your dedication Bro

Can be use tools such as benchmarking, gap analysis, root cause analysis, and kaizen to identify and implement opportunities for improvement. You should also stay updated on the latest trends and technologies in safety and explore new ways to enhance your safety performance and culture. By seeking continuous improvement, you can maintain and improve your competitive edge and reputation in the market.

There is a hierarchy that generally first seeks to eliminate or engineer out the hazards and risks. When not possible, then pursue reducing the risk frequency potential, level of severity, and improve the ability to identify the at risk condition (think FMEA). PPE is the last mitigation. While necessary and appropriate, PPE does not eliminate the risk so one should not rely on it.

Establish clear channels of communication regarding safety, both vertically and horizontally within the organization. Encourage open dialogue and feedback to address concerns and continuously improve safety measures. Conduct regular inspections of the workplace to identify and address potential safety issues. Encourage employees to report any safety concerns, and take prompt action to rectify identified hazards. Develop and regularly review emergency response plans, including evacuation procedures and first aid protocols. Conduct drills to ensure that employees are familiar with emergency procedures and can respond effectively. Implement 5S 1, advanced safety technologies, and automated systems, to mitigate risks and enhance safety.

Employee Involvement and Engagement: Involve employees in safety decision-making processes and encourage their active participation in safety initiatives. Solicit feedback from workers on safety issues and involve them in developing solutions and implementing improvements. Regular Inspections and Audits: Conduct regular safety inspections and audits to ensure compliance with safety regulations and identify areas for improvement. Address any deficiencies promptly and track progress. Collaboration with Regulatory Agencies: Stay informed about relevant safety regulations and standards applicable to the manufacturing industry. Also, stay updated on best practices and ensure compliance with legal requirements.

Look at Standards. I have been a fan for the Dupont STOP methodology. Recently, I became aware of "The 8 Habits of a Highly Effective Safety Culture" by Rod Courtney. Chech it out!

1. Regular Safety Summits: Convene workers periodically for engaging safety discussions. Remind them of safe practices, address their concerns, and emphasize the value of safety. 2. Thorough Audits: Conduct systematic safety audits at regular intervals, using charts to track progress and identify areas needing improvement. 3. Management Visibility: Encourage leadership to actively engage with the shop floor. This demonstrates their commitment to safety, allows them to observe practices firsthand, and provides opportunities for employees to raise concerns or suggest improvements.