Worker Participation and Voice | Episode 338

This month on Warehouse Safety Tips, we're covering management and culture systems.

And on today's episode, we're going to be talking about worker participation and voice.

So stay tuned.

Welcome to Warehouse Safety Tips.

If you're a seasoned Vodcast viewer, this Vodcast is going to be different from most that you watch.

It's based around exactly what the name implies.

Warehouse Safety Tips.

And since the people in this industry.

Are busy, we know that time is money.

So each episode will will be as short and to the point as possible.

And now, with all that out of the way, let's get to the Vodcast.

A facility can have great procedures, clear signs and solid training.

But none of that matters if employees are afraid to speak up.

The people doing the work often see hazards.

First.

They notice the loose dock plate.

They hear a strange sound coming from the conveyor.

They see the shortcut that almost caused an injury.

The real question is whether they feel safe enough to say something before a near miss becomes an ambulance call.

Every staff member needs to know that their voices are heard.

Doing so proves that management is listening and that their suggestions are building a strong safety culture.

And here are a few tips that are going to help you assist with worker participation and voice.

1.

You want to give employees a safe way to report near misses.

Anonymous reporting can help employees share concerns without the fear of blame or embarrassment.

Keep the process simple.

A QR code, a Dropbox, online forms, or a dedicated hotline can work very well.

Most importantly, you want to respond to what gets reported.

2.

You want to treat near misses as warnings, not failures.

If somebody reports that a pallet almost fell, please don't start by asking who was responsible.

Ask what allowed it to happen.

Near misses are free lessons.

Use them before the lesson becomes an injury.

3.

You want to recognize safety champions for their actions, not their numbers.

Be careful with rewards based only on injury free days.

That pressure can make people hide injuries or stay quiet.

Instead, you want to recognize employees who report hazards, improve procedures, help co workers, or suggest safer ways to work.

4.

You want to give every employee a stop work authority.

Employees should know that they can stop a task when they believe something is unsafe.

No title should be required.

No staff members need to have permission before preventing an injury.

Stop, check and correct.

And last but certainly not least, number five, you want to close the communication loop.

Employees will stop reporting problems if nothing seems to be happening.

Tell them what was found, what was changed and why.

When a suggestion isn't used, explain the reason.

And as always, these are potential tips.

Please be sure to follow the rules and the regulations of your specific facility.

Worker participation isn't about handing out suggestion forms and checking a box.

It's about building trust.

Employees need to know that speaking up won't put a target on their back.

A facility becomes stronger when employees understand that their voices matter.

Encourage reporting, reward the right behavior, support stop work authority, and please use every applicable safety suggestion whenever possible.

And thank you for being part of another episode of Warehouse Safety Tips.

Until we meet next time, have a great week, stay safe and here's a word from our sponsor.

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We hope you enjoyed this episode of Warehouse Safety Tips.

If you visit warehousesafetytips.com you'll find the show notes for this episode and access to all of our blog posts, previous podcasts, advertiser information, and much more.

Thank you for listening to Warehouse Safety Tips and have a safe day.