I have a real battle trying to get our employees to change their attitudes to risk and hazard awareness, especially when working at height and working with lifting equipment. Anyone got any novel ideas?

thanks db

Try getting a guest speaker in - someone who has had an accident who can show/tell them the effects it has had on him, his family and his colleagues. Seeing someone that has gone through the aftermath can have a pretty strong wake up call and make them realise they are not bullet proof.

A carrot and a stick.

Show them the correct way to do the job and an incentive for doing it. This could be recognition, good health, more responsabilities, support, acknowledgement etc...

Or just a stick,

Depending on the severity of the breach to safe working practices sometimes enforcement and dicipline may be mandatory

But most sucess stories are driven by management visibility and support

I'm currently facing exactly the same problems as Darwin. Here's how I've been tackling it, and it's working.

1. Culture change does take time. There are ways to accelerate the change, and taking people through the disciplinary route is certainly a very effective one, as ripples go out across all the employees as it dawns on them "they really are serious about this aren't they?"

2. I started by identifying which areas we had problems with - e.g. work at height being one of them. No history of accidents, but lots of unsafe ladders, clambering on equipment, no fall protection etc, and no apparent awareness of a problem - they've been doing it like that for 20 years or more.

3. I trained up the supervisors in the WAH Regs, showed them some examples of our current practices (photos) compared to what the Regs required. I also explained WHY the WAH Regs came into existence - because falls from height were the single biggest killer at work and no progress was being made. I also showed them some example photos of the amazing range of equipment now available, innovation driven by the implementation of the Regs.

4. Involving the workforce & supervision I trialled various items of new equipment, and discussed them with employees. Trial via hiring or loan. Get them to buy into seeing that it's better - quicker and safer.

5. Buy the eqpt identified as most suitable. Train employees how to use it.

6. Importantly, monitor activities to ensure the equipment is being used. When it's not, ASK QUESTIONS - why aren't you using it? Have you ever thought what might happen if...? For people who don't have valid reasons why they're not following the training they've been given, take them through the disciplinary process.

7. After the first disciplinary, it sets an example and everyone else miraculously falls into line. You'll probably have to have one example case though, but expect it and do it.

Job done. But remember, questions, discussions with employees, building trusting relationships, humour, as mentioned above, and discipline are all essential tools in the armoury. Use them all in the right measure.

Simply say you are related to Charles and Google the Darwin Awards to use some humour on them, claim it was your idea and that evolution will get them even if you don't...

Search Engine Steve

Whatever you do it must be seen to be fair and seen to be applied evenly accross the board and I agree entirely with Pete48's comments

In all cases its down to the person at the top