How Important Are Safety Meetings?

For workers in a variety of industries where the risk of injury is high, regular safety meetings are a critical part of informing everyone of workplace risks and keeping people alert and aware of hazards. Consider the following information about safety meeting basics and reach out to OSHA Injury Attorney if you have questions about safety meetings and related safety regulations.

What Is a Safety Meeting?

A safety meeting can be a formal gathering where workplace safety protocols are reviewed and hazards are identified, or it can be a less formal meeting that happens briefly before a specific job or activity. During a safety meeting, workers may be briefed about job hazards, safety equipment may be checked, or training may be reviewed. These meetings are important for combating complacency and helping everyone in the workplace stay safe. 

What’s Covered in a Safety Meeting?

Safety meetings can cover a variety of different topics depending on the industry in which they are occurring. For example, workers in delivery services may be briefed on safe driving practices and common dangerous driving behaviors, such as drunk driving. In other industries, such as construction, a construction site safety meeting may cover things like fall protection, scaffolding requirements, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements, safety around electricity, power tool and equipment safety, etc. Safety meetings might also occur in factories, as workers may need to be briefed on equipment hazards or assembly line best practices. When new safety concerns arise—such as the coronavirus—workers may be invited to a safety meeting where best practices for addressing the new hazard are reviewed. 

What Industries Need Safety Meetings?

Safety meetings can be relevant for workers in a variety of different industries; even office workers may encounter hazards in the workplace. Of course, some industries are more dangerous than others. Industries for which safety meetings are absolutely necessary include construction, manufacturing, logging, powerline workers, trucking, and any industries in which workers are exposed to heavy equipment, machinery, or other hazards. 

Tips for an Effective Workplace Safety Meeting

If you are a manager who is responsible for hosting workplace safety meetings, understanding best practices of effective safety meetings can go a long way in ensuring that workers hear the information. Here are a few ways that you can improve the efficacy of workplace safety meetings include:

• Prepare in advance. It’s best to prepare for a safety meeting well in advance, both so that you as the employer have time to gather relevant information on the topics you want to cover, and so workers can be invited well in advance and have the meeting added to their calendars. If you’re not prepared when hosting a safety meeting, it will show.
• Think about timing. When thinking about timing for the safety meeting, there are two main components to consider: first, when you’ll host the meeting, and second, for how long the meeting will last. This is where it’s important to have empathy: Consider that a worker who’s been on the job all day may not want to spend an extra two hours going over safety information. If you can keep the meeting short (while still covering all pertinent information!) and schedule it at a time that’s convenient for employees, the information may be better received.
• Be relevant. Make sure that whatever safety information you’re planning to talk about is relevant to your industry and your business. If there have been recent safety incidents in your workplace, these can be a great starting point.
• Keep it engaging. No one wants to listen to their employer drone on and on for hours about any topic. If you keep the meeting brief while also providing relevant, engaging content, you’ll have a better chance of keeping your audience’s focus. And don’t forget to ask questions or otherwise prompt participation during the meeting, too.
• Follow up. Finally, be sure to follow up with workers after the safety meeting. You can consider asking for feedback, send out a survey, or send out an email or another notice with the information you shared in written form.

Learn More About Safety Meetings in the Workplace

Workplace safety meetings can provide critical safety information that helps to prevent injuries, especially in high-risk industries. In certain industries, such as manufacturing and construction, safety meetings are especially important. To learn more about the importance of workplace safety meetings and what types of information should be covered for specific industries, call OSHA Injury Attorney directly today.