WEEKLY EDITION AUGUST 28, 2019
Building a Culture of Safety Part II:
Co mm un i cat io n
By Karleen Kos, PSAI Executive Director
• If you communicate a safety message without taking the time to listen carefully to the response of
employees, the communication is incomplete. Remember, you have to speak and listen for communication
to be successful. The employees may
have information you don't have, and
that input could be critical to ensuring
safety in the long run.
• If you don't take employees' concerns
and priorities into account, they might
not listen to what you have to say. S
o
safety communication has to be a two-
way
street.
Safety Communication Matters Failure to
communicate safety information effectively
can have serious negative consequences,
including:
• Accidents, injuries, and illness
• Lost workdays
• Reduced productivity and delays
• Risk-taking by employees
• Inability to comply with regulations
• Higher workers' compensation an
d
health insurance costs
• Damage
to materials, equipment, or
your facility (for example, in a
workplace fire caused by carelessness
or lack of knowledge)
• Risks to community and environment
(for example, in a release or improper
disposal of waste)
Do you have tips for portable sanitation-
related safety meetings? Send them to
karleenk@psai.org and w e'll cover them
in a future issue of Association Insight.
- KK
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