Why is safety talk so very important and should be done regularly before doing activities to work? Are not the workers already getting formal training on Occupational Safety and Health? Yes, even though the workers have received formal training in Occupational Safety and Health according to their respective fields of work, you as supervisor / leader must also remind workers of the importance of occupational safety and health through safety talk.
Safety talk (also called safety morning talk or toolbox meeting) is a routine meeting between the supervisor and the workers or employees to talk about safety and health issues for a few minutes talking about safety, whether about the latest issues, lack of safety at work , regulation, work procedures, personal protective equipment, potential hazards, etc.
Basically, the safety talk aims to inform the dangers in a job and how to anticipate work hazards or accidents. The topics most often or always discussed in a safety talk are usually about a warning to prioritize personal safety by wearing personal protective equipment and equipment in accordance with their respective occupations.
A very important role in safety talk is the reason why safety talk material needs to be delivered regularly and repeatedly every morning before starting work. This repetition does not mean that workers are deemed uninitiated, but is one way to continue and keep reminding them of the importance of applying occupational safety and health in the implementation of work and also one of the process of establishing a safety culture in the company.
13 Important Points a Supervisor Must Know About Safety Talk
In order for the implementation of safety talks in the company to run smoothly and effectively, it helps each supervisor understand the 13 important points about safety talk below:
- How often should we have a safety talk before work?
It is recommended to conduct regular safety talk, for example, twice a week or three days, so that workers become accustomed to safety talk and make this meeting as part of work routine.- Where is the suitable location and the right one to implement safety talk?
Choose the most comfortable and hassle free place. Maybe you do not want workers to concentrate hard and skip the safety message you are delivering because a noisy location can interfere with your concentration and workers, the location is too hot or cold. Be sure of where you choose, all the workers present attend the meeting effectively.- When is the best time to implement safety talk?
Choose the right time and do not interfere with work activities and where the mind and concentration of workers are fresh and focus on safety talk. The morning before starting work is the right time to carry out safety talk.- How much time for the implementation of safety talk?
"Keep It Short & Simple (KISS)" is the motto you must hold. Convey safety messages in a concise, compact, and clear way. Duration of the implementation of safety talk ideally lasts between 5-15 minutes. Most of the supervisors do it within 10 minutes which is very important. The content that we convey is very weighty and enters the worker's mind.- What safety items or topics should be addressed in safety talk?
We recommend that you select topics related to the work to be done. In determining the topic of safety talk.- Do supervisors have to choose a topic of discussion only in safety talk?
Yes, the topic of safety talk should be specific and targeted. The rambling presentation of the material will only make the meeting mood boring and time consuming. For example, you want to discuss about the hazards in the workplace, maybe you can specify more specific hazards such as slipping or the danger of falling objects from above and how to control them. etc- How long does the preparatory time for the supervisor to do to do the safety talk?
Not much, but from that does not mean you do not prepare it at all. After choosing a topic, make sure you already know and understand the safety guidelines on the topic raised and make a note of important points about safety talk material. You can discuss with other supervisors for advice on what things should be included in the note.- Whether in the delivery of the material, the supervisor only needs to read the important points he has just made?
Maybe this is a simple way, but not a good idea. Submission of material by way of reading will make the presentation of the material so boring and ineffective. Try as much as possible to deliver the material in your own words by making the points you have made for reference only. Therefore, it is very important for a supervisor to understand the material he will discuss in the safety talk of what else the material presented is very clear.- Is using visual aids in material delivery allowed?
Yes of course, that's very clear. Visual aids in a presentation can be a powerful and effective tool to increase the impact or influence on workers who follow safety talk. The use of appropriate words can reinforce the message to be conveyed in the presentation. For safety talk, you can use visual aids in the form of images, graphics, video, or supporting equipment related to safety talk topic.
For example, if you are talking about a damaged or dangerous hand tool, you can show an example to the worker. If the topic of the meeting is about how to operate the forklift, you'll want to show how it should be done.- Do supervisors have to invite workers to engage in safety talk discussions?
Of course, you should encourage workers to be more active in expressing opinions and asking questions in safety talk. You can ask for their opinions on the topics covered. You always respond to every question asked by the worker. This is very important, however, the activity of workers in safety talks may reflect their concern about the application of occupational safety and health in their workplace.- What should the supervisor do to respond to the questions asked by the worker?
If the question they ask is relevant to the topic covered and you know the answer, give them the best response. However, if you do not know the answer, tell him that you will find out about the question and will answer the next safety talk.
Just as if the question is irrelevant to the topic they are addressing, tell the worker that you will discuss privately after the safety talk is over.- Should supervisors have to document the implementation of worker activities and attendance?
Of course, every worker attending the meeting should sign the safety talk form provided, as this safety talk is very important to them as well. You as a supervisor should also make a MOM (Minutes of Meeting) of the topics discussed, including complaints, problems, and suggestions from the audience, and make sure you follow up on them.
Follow up questions that can not be answered during safety talk. Make sure the safety talks are well documented, such as photos of attendance and attendance of workers present. Documentation of the implementation of safety talks can be used as evidence that workers have received specific safety information, as well as guidelines to provide training to workers.- Are there any suggestions for safety talk more effective?Here are some techniques that can be used supervisor for the implementation of safety talk more effective, among others:
Prepare (Make the best preparation, search for references as much as possible and understand the safety talk material that you will submit)
Pinpoint (Focus on the goal and keep it simple, give the key points Do not bore the audience by giving a thorough explanation in one session Focus on one topic of discussion)
Personalize (Establish a two-way communication between the supervisor and the worker and occasionally use humor.This will make the meeting more intimate and warm and keep the audience in your care, allowing them to better remember what has been discussed)
Pictorialize (Present the safety talk material not only verbally, but in visual form too Use visual aids, drawings, graphics, video, or other support equipment where possible)
Prescribe (Make sure you address the discussion topic appropriately to the audience on what should and should not be done so that they and their colleagues work safely and safely)
As a supervisor, make sure you understand the important points about safety talk above. Although it only lasts in minutes, the implementation of safety talk should be prepared as well and as effectively as possible. Make sure the workers involved understand your explanation on safety talk.
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may be useful.....