I'm ready to give up

LindaS · March 2004

When I came into this position almost two years ago, I was given the task of bringing the safety committee "back to life" and ensuring that all the employees work in a safet environment. To that end we re-vamped our Safety Regulations and began strictly enforcing them. The Safety Committe took alot of flack for it but they stood strong!!!

Last month we did some layoffs which has kept me from spending as much time in our plant as I did previously. Now when I'm out there I see employees NOT wearing their hearing protection, NOT tying their hair back, NOT wearing side shields on their glasses, etc. I have tried talking to the supervisors regarding the importance of these regulations, and WHY they are in place but it seems to fall on deaf ears (especially with one supervisor). I have tried posting notices regarding the regulations and have told employees that disciplinary action will be a result of their continuing to not follow the rules but even that doesn't work because I would be disciplining the majority of the factory.

I feel like all the work myself and the safety committe has done over the past two years has been lost and I don't know how to get things back on track. I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle and it's really getting tiring.

Thanks for letting me vent!!!

mushroomHR · March 2004

Linda: Perhaps if you would write-up the supervisors they would see that you mean business. If they get written up they would surely enforce the safety rules and regulations with their employees. Just a thought. Venting is good.

deniseE · March 2004

Agreed...ultimately it is the responsibility of the supervisors to enforce the safety regs...so begin to document...they'll fall in line...

Balloonman · March 2004

Linda,
Is the main boss supportive of enforcing the safety policies? If so, have him write up the supervisor, not you, explain again this could if not correct eliminate any hope of an increase at review time. The boss should also point out he better fix the problem he created in a timely fashion, without alienating his workers.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

Pork · March 2004

Linda: Eactly my recommendation. Either the General Manager (TOP HOG) get involved or you should relax and disband the safety committee and let the cost associated rise until it does get his attention. It is not your position to be the SAFETY GURU AND THE POLICEMAN it will not work! never has and never will...beat yourself up and you'll suffer the hurt, pain, and sufferring but it want matter.

PORK

Whatever · March 2004

I would agree with the above.
Here, we made the people ultimately responsible for safety (one at each plant) supervisors. That way, they can go over to any employee (including management) and order them to obey the safety rules. It's been helpful.

lnelson · March 2004

I agree with the others -
We had similar problem with supervisors not enforcing the safety rules/policies. So our Safety Director was authorized to write up the supervisor and verbally warn the offending ee for first offense.

If the Safety Director noticed the same ee not following the policies, the supervisor would be put on 1 day suspension and the offending ee would receive written with stipulation if caught again he would receive 1 day suspension w/o pay and/or termination.

This has been VERY helpful in making sure everyone knows we are serious about safety.
May seem alittle harsh but effective.

Needless to say since plan enacted in 2000 we have lowered our Mod Rate from 104 to 82.

For a manufacturing plant that is pretty good.
Lisa

RMarceaux · March 2004

Sounds like you need a CIC committee (Continuing Improvement Committee) Get the supervisors involved with the safety requirements and hold them responsible for the safety of their employees.

SMace · March 2004

Welcome to the forum and I hope you don't take this as being too harsh. But I hear you advocating forming a committee to solve the problems of another committee. If the first committee can't deal with it, why would a second? I say deal with the problem, the supervisors by talking to the supervisor's boss. If that doesn't work a committe sure as heck will not do anything. Don't waste time forming a committee having meetings, eating donuts and taking a month to solve a problem that could take a day. This statement is not directed at you RMarceaux, but I swear the only reason some people exist in a company is to form a committee on something.

SDDCHR · March 2004

I agree with SMACE. It's like having a meeting to schedule meetings....someone stop the madness!!

Don D · March 2004

I agree that it's a 'top down' commitment that may be missing or limp. Ours is a large, worldwide corporation with many, many facilities. The safety culture is very seriously inbred from top down and sideways. At this facility, the role of Safety Coordinator also comes with the job of HR Manager. But, you won't hear me say, "I'm responsible for safety". I coordinate signage, safety team meetings, PPE Assessments, Safety Training, Safety bulletin boards, Safety instructions, OSHA 300 log, workers compensation administration, MSDS administration and a variety of other things. I also enforce, through supervisors, the requirements to wear personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, gloves, ear plugs where needed. But, it is the shift supervisors and departmental managers who do and must enforce policy and procedure. And it is the employees at large who must be responsible for their own safety. What really makes it work is the fact that safety is inbred and top-down. I think without that, no matter what I do would be ineffective and treading water. All you can do is all you can do. Do it well, let it be known, and move on. Someone suggested, I think, giving up, letting accident costs increase amd it would get attention. Don't do it. They'd fire you.

Shadowfax · March 2004

While many posters reactions are understandable, if you were given the job of ensuring "...that all employees work in safe envireonment.." then I'm afraid it is your job, and you need to find a way to do it. That way would seem to be to make the supervisors and others on the floor responsible so you can write them up and that way at least make the point that they need to be aware of safety. If that means disciplining the whole plant, then I guess that's what you have to do. If the top doesn't like it, they can let you know, until then, you seem to be saying it really is your job. Plus, youv'e already threatened discipline, better get on with it.

AJ SPHR · March 2004

In addition to all the good advice, one thing I wonder about is if some of the deterioration in paying attention to safety rules is a reaction to the recent layoffs. It may be an indicator of general morale problems that can happen after a layoff, so in addition to the commitment to safety by upper management, you may also want to consider open forums and communications from employees about the recent company layoffs to hopefully get issues out in the open. In other words, confirm for them that while layoffs happened, the company's employees are still important to the company and that you have a commitment to continued improvement in business so that future layoffs may not be necessary. Just my $.02

LindaS · March 2004

Thanks for all your great advice. On Friday I spoke one of the supervisors and reminded him of the importance of safety. Let's see if he follows through. The other supervisor, however, is having numerous issues and we are addressing it through progressive discipline. Let's see how that works.

Thanks again for all your help.

mbeam · March 2004

If things had been going along fine, seems like another person posted that this may be in reaction to the layoffs. This is their way of rebelling/indicating displeasure from one of the areas they can control. Now, we can argue whether this is a particularly wise move to make especially when it relates to safety (their own to boot).

Maybe you contact the supervisors and ask them why this is now a problem - maybe they would like more information about the layoffs and people are worried about their jobs. More information may be the solution and may not be information on safety.

System · March 2004

I too am Safety Coordinator as well as assistant to the HR Director. I understand your frustration. It burns me up when we take time to train people in two languages, and then go on a job site and see people wearing their hard hats backwards, standing on a ladder backwards, or not wearing/using their fall protection. Discipline, and document - when we discipline someone for a safety violation, word gets around, and people straighten up. Hang in there!
Linda

I'm ready to give up

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