What would you do?

Balloonman

Giving a presentation on safety incentive programs, OSHA is against them, and OSHA inspector will be present (oh joy) would you:

A. Change your presentation.

B. Go full steam ahead?

I do acknowledge OSHA position in my presentation, I just do not agree with it. :-)
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman

Pork

REGARDLESS OF THE OSHA issues with Safety Incentives, you should proceed with your convictions and be prepared to modify if the guest can add substance to any argument against Safety Incentives. They (safety incentives) are not illegal, however, they will remain of little value when the truth is realized. I long ago dropped my interest in Safety Incentives, with the exception that the incentive is awarded upon the completion of a training program like: CPR, FIRST AID, FORKLIFT OPERATIONS, BLOODBORNE PATHOGENTS, ETC. Incentives for no loss days, or no injuries, or no accidents is a pipe dream and the incentive bears little impact on the attainment of the goal, in my opinion.

marc

Will you have a Q and A session during or after the presentation? If so, I would be ready for OSHA to challenge your program in this regard. I am assuming that OSHA is there for a reason and that it is something you have no control over. If you did, I would not have them in unless you were negotiating with them over some finding that your new incentive program(s) address.

If your audience has not yet made up its mind about your presentation, the OSHA folks could throw a monkey wrench into the works and derail your hoped for outcomes.

Balloonman

Nah the OSHA guy(s) attend these meetings on a semi-regular basis, so he is not looking to cause trouble. Fact is my presentation should not get his feathers in an uproar. If it does, we can discuss it afterwards......not going to allow him to disrupt the proceedings.
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman

lnelson

Balloonman -

THIS IS JUST MY OPINION but I do not encourage incentives for safety because these are rules/procedures that need to be followed every minute, hour, day, week, etc. and ee's should not be given special consideration for doing what you are paying them to do follow procedures and get the work out.
May sound alittle harsh but there are other benefits and awards to praise outstanding ee's I feel SAFETY is not one of them it is expected.

In answer of your question, do what you feel is in the best interest of your company and your ees, regardless of what OSHA feels, they are the ones who will benefit either way.

Lisa

Don D

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 06-07-04 AT 05:50PM (CST)[/font][br][br]What I would do is ask you two questions:

1) Why would you consider paying people extra to do what they should do correctly in the first place? By far, it is predominant among safety professionals that this is not done.

2) Why would you have/allow an OSHA employee at your safety meeting? Is this some sort of punitive measure for your company? Never heard of such. It's like inviting the EEOC to attend your supervisory meetings.

Incenting people to perform work safely is like incenting them to get to work on time. The incentive is their paycheck. That's the carrot. The stick is termination for unsafe behaviors. Do yourself a favor and call around and ask 5 or 6 real safety professionals in your area their opinion. Don't go by what you read or what a consultant suggests.

Gillian3

Barge ahead. While there are differing opinions about the value of incentives for safety (along with other things) do what works for your company.

Balloonman

Maybe I should have been more clear. I am giving a presentation to an member organization, not my own of which I have no control over who attends. The topic, is safety incentives. I am not preaching their virtues, but putting forth the pro's and con's of them.
Thanks for the input all........
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman

Don D

Good. Please show mine in the 'con' column.

njjel

I would go with your plan. Incidentally, I have used safety incentives in the past very successfully to correct a very high worker's comp experience rating. Right or wrong, it worked! that was the intention. After a time we did reduce the incentive but by that time working more safely had become second nature to the work force.

ritaanz

I do not understand. If you are giving a presentation about the pros and cons of safety incentives, how can you change your presentation?

The workers comp insurance companies that I worked with insisted on safety incentives to cut down on work related injuries. I still haven't figured out how a gift certificate, free dinner, whatever will deter someone from doing something stupid.

This is your job. For doing your job you get paid x number of dollars. Included in your job duties are safty rules and regs. Period.

Balloonman

I won't argue with that ritaanz,
so tell me how many injuries do you have that should have never happened? Caused by brain farts?
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman

ritaanz

You asked the wrong person. Our number of days without a work related injury was 967 until 9/3/2003. And....that one was not a brain fart but an individual who,(shall I be nice?) embellished the incident.