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Safety meetings provide the opportunity for effective sharing of information specific to the safety of the job between employees, contractors and management. Safety meetings increase employee awareness of Company safety initiatives, legislative requirements, new practices, accidental loss information or any other concerns.
Safety meetings shall be organized in such a manner that employees and contractors obtain real value from them. It is generally better for employees and contractors to attend fewer, well planned and conducted, interesting and informative meetings than several repetitive and mediocre meetings.
Responsibility
Management is responsible to ensure that meetings are effectively planned and completed according to this standard.
Employees are expected to attend and participate in all safety meetings to ensure optimum effectiveness.
Employees shall be involved in both the planning and the making of presentations at meetings; this involvement ensures buy-in and ownership in the process. This involvement also ensures that the subject matter is practical, current, timely and interesting.
Planning / Organizing
General safety meetings will be held monthly, with no fewer than 10 safety meetings completed annually. This will depend on the number of employees and contractors in the area, the level of activity and the employees and contractors available to attend.
Key topics should also be suggested by the Employees. This planning can and should be delegated to the Employees on a rotational basis. The person responsible for coordinating the meeting shall either make a presentation to the group or organize a speaker to make the presentation. The key topic of discussion does not have to be safety oriented; as long as it involves a continuous improvement theme.
Conducting the Meeting
Worker concerns should not be the only topic of discussion. Worker concerns should be expressed concisely with their recommended solution to the problem. Do not try to resolve concerns in the safety meeting. Any and all concerns shall be recorded on the minutes form. Feedback shall be provided no later than the next meeting, even if the feedback is a status report. The meeting coordinator must make every attempt to maintain the schedule as identified on the agenda as follows:
•Review of old business / concerns
•New business / problems & concerns
•Review of incidents / hazards reported
•Key topic(s)
Minutes shall be recorded on the meeting minutes form. Concern items shall be sequentially numbered. The meeting coordinator should not attempt to keep meeting minutes; this should be delegated prior to the meeting.
As a presenter, try to make the meeting as interesting as possible:
•Try not to read information to the group; know your topic ahead of time and speak to the topic;
•Use audio-visual modes of presenting the information such as overheads, videos, etc.;
•Try to involve the group as much as possible by asking questions.
Follow up
Any outstanding concerns should be scheduled for follow up and completion by a specific person and date by the person recording minutes. Management is responsible for ensuring that the follow up action occurs when and as specified. These follow up actions should be recorded on the minutes.