Off-The-Job Safety
Section IV
Planning Your Program
Teamwork often makes the difference between success and failure. An off-the-job safety program provides opportunities for forming and using several types of teams made up of managers and employees. These teams organize and conduct the overall program, develop special promotion activities, solve specific problems, and present recommendations to management. The types of teams used include steering committees, project teams, and safety circles.
The teams provide for the involvement of people at all levels within the organization, as well as for meaningful study and analysis of off-the-job safety problems.
The following guidelines assume you are able to get top management support. Modifications to the plan may be required depending on the scope of your program, but attention to the key steps outlined is necessary to create local or company-wide programs.
The Steering Committee
The steering committee provides management control of the program. It:
- Identifies the work to be done in the program.
- Authorizes the time, people, space, and money needed to implement the program.
- Evaluates the program's progress toward goals and objectives.
- Guides and coaches the efforts of the people who contribute to the program.
The steering committee meets on policy and decisions. It should be chaired by a senior manager. It is usually made up of key functional managers, plus employee representatives. The committee's activities should be exclusively focused on the off-the-job safety program.
The steering committee's initial jobs are to identify loss exposures and develop effective project teams. It is important that team members be well versed in both safety fundamentals and the concepts of off-the-job safety programs. Therefore, training of some team members may be required. After any training, the committee directs compilation of the preliminary loss exposure inventory. It then sets the program's objectives and standards, and begins to recruit people for project teams.
After the program is organized, the committee concentrates on review and compliance. It hears recommendations presented by project teams. It approves goals and budgets to meet program objectives. It coordinates program activities with other functions of the safety and health program. Finally, it may audit managers' compliance with program standards. All these functions require high levels of authority to commit people and resources. Consequently, it is vital that senior managers not delegate committee responsibilities to subordinates.
Loss Exposure Identification
An effective safety and health program starts with a determination of loss exposures. To do otherwise is to manage by blind guessing.
Table 4 is a summary of possible exposures. To get an idea of what employees consider important, the steering committee can give a copy of the list to employees and ask them to circle topics they would like more information on.
Handout surveys normally have a very poor response, so the purpose of the survey must be explained when the forms are distributed. This can be done at a safety meeting or at a similar gathering of employees. A convenient return method can increase the rate of response. Collection boxes or return-addressed forms or envelopes can be provided if personal collection by the supervisor is not desirable. E-mail is another possibility.
| Table 4: Possible Loss Exposures |
| |
| Driving Topics |
| Backing up |
Railroad crossings |
| Bad weather |
Recreational vehicles |
| Car seats |
Rental cars |
| City driving |
Road emergencies |
| Defensive |
Rural roads |
| Diverted attention |
Rush hour |
| Expressway |
Shopping for a safer car |
| Fall driving |
Small cars |
| Long distances |
Speed |
| Maintenance |
Teen drivers |
| Mature drivers |
Tired |
| Night |
Trucks on the highway |
| Occupant protection |
Wildlife collisions |
| Prescription drugs |
Winter |
Year-Round Topics |
| Alcohol |
Head injuries |
| Appliances |
Hearing protection |
| Babysitting |
Hobbies |
| Back |
Home maintenance |
| Bathroom |
Home safety checklist |
| Bowling |
Home safety devices |
| Child care |
Household chemicals |
| Children |
Kitchen |
| Baby |
Ladders |
| Ages 2-5 |
Older Adults |
| Ages 6-12 |
Parties (Hosting) |
| Ages 13-17 |
Pedestrians |
| Childproofing your home |
People with disabilities |
| Choking |
Pets |
| Crafts |
Poisoning |
| Disaster planning |
Prescription errors |
| Electrical |
Running |
| Eye protection |
Shift work |
| Falls |
Shopping |
| Firearms |
Sleeping |
| Fitness |
Street crime |
| Flammable liquids |
Toys |
| Furniture refinishing |
Travel |
| Garage |
Workshop |
| Hand tools |
|
Spring and Summer Topics |
| ATVs |
Lawn mowers |
| Barbecues |
Painting |
| Bees |
Pesticides and insecticides |
| Bicycling |
Playgrounds |
| Boating |
Skin cancer |
| Camping |
Sports (adults and kids) |
| Canoeing |
Spring cleaning |
| Fireworks |
Storms |
| Fishing |
Summer |
| Food poisoning |
Summer trips |
| Gardening |
Swimming |
| Heat stress |
Diving |
| Helmets |
Pools |
| Hiking |
Vacations |
| Horseback riding |
Water safety |
| Inline skates & skateboards |
Water skiing |
| Insects |
Wildlife |
| Kites |
Yard and garden equipment |
Fall and Winter Topics |
| Burns |
Hunting |
| Carbon monoxide |
Firearms |
| Chain saws |
Other risks |
| Fall activities |
Hypothermia |
| Falls on ice and snow |
Latch-key children |
| Fire |
School |
| Detection and response |
Skiing |
| Fireplaces |
Sledding/skating |
| Heating systems |
Snow clearing |
| Prevention |
Snowboards |
| Wood burning stoves |
Snowmobiles |
| Football |
Soccer |
| Halloween |
Winter activities |
| Holiday |
|
Selecting Off-the-Job Safety Topics
Since motor-vehicle deaths account for almost 50% of off-the-job fatalities, and numerous injuries, any safety program must begin with regular emphasis on various driving topics. However, the topics selected will vary by location. For example, an urban area will probably wish to cover highway and rush hour driving, while a rural area may emphasize the special hazards faced by drivers on rural roads and at railroad crossings.
Beyond driving topics, the interests of the employees will dictate the topics selected. Some employee bodies may want information on outdoor activities, while others may want more information on children's activities.
A key point to consider is that virtually all of the topics listed in Table 4 should be covered over a 4-5 year period, or at least made available to employees. For example, few employees will have trampolines in their back yards, so that topic may not be identified frequently on the employee response form. However, at some point in their lives many children may be exposed to a trampoline in someone's yard. In one case a young man visiting a friend on a spring night jumped off a trampoline and landed awkwardly. He is now a quadriplegic, with medical expenses exceeding one million dollars. If the family had received some periodic safety information on the dangers of trampolines, the tragedy might have been avoided.
Guidelines for Effective Programs
Once the general exposures are known, planning begins on the best way to control risks. Some risks are adequately controlled with knowledge of safe practices, so the program calls for education. Others need skill or training, and the program calls for ways to get supervised practice, such as through a recreation club or sports team. Sometimes the hazard can be controlled with personal protective equipment, and the program requires sources of equipment, proper fitting, and instruction on equipment use.
No two organizations are alike. However, there are some universal guidelines for effective off-the-job safety programs conducted by organizations. These are:
- Overall direction should be given by an experienced professional.
- A well-organized program encourages individual participation and produces the best results. The major activities need to be planned and budgeted so that the necessary personnel and resources will be available.
- Employee participation in activities should be spontaneous and voluntary. Each program activity should include an invitation for employees to participate in planning, preparing, presenting, and following through. In the beginning, selected employees may have to be asked to help, but a quality program motivates continuing participation.
- The program should be family oriented. The family is the key group for sharing ideas and changing behavior. Spouses influence each other's actions. Parents influence children and vice versa. Studies show consistently better results when the message gets into the home and when activities include families.
