These days, with a lot of safety protocols in place, it’s a great idea to make yourself informed of all the ins and outs of the programs available. Below are some Hints from Maxitool on Improving your Workplace Safety Observations . The safe Behaviour Observation Programs have grown into one of the utmost safety programs available in mining.

Safety on the job site is highly important, and to make a safer workplace for miners, there needs to be more effective and current programs. Although, different sites refer to the programs by different names – such as Safe Act Observations or Safe Behaviour Observations – they all have the same sort of principles in place; keeping you safe. These programs form the most relevant and significant safety managing tools for handling on the job hazards.

The main aims of safety observation include addressing detailed behaviour of people while at work, and also opening a dialogue for people to embrace a safe culture of thinking.

What they are – explained in simple terms.

When it comes to the terminology of ‘safe behaviour observation’, in simple terms, it refers to viewing a person undertake a task and then discussing what was done correctly and what wasn’t.

Generally, the process occurs in three stages;

• Determine, approach and then view the job
• Discussion occurs
• Then, a document is completed outlining the safe and unsafe aspects observed

The great thing about the safe behaviour observation program is that anyone on the mine site can be an integral part of the process. However, the specific program is normally rolled out from the top – managers and supervisor fine tune the program and then train other employees to observe their peers.

While there are specific safety models that each individual site has (and which are necessary to keep that particular site running accordingly), there are a few key tips to help keep the site workers happy and healthy.

• Talk it through

Although paperwork is very important, having multiple talks/discussion about safety protocols and refreshing everybody’s memory about what’s expected from them while they’re on site is more effective. By having simple yet structured conversations about how to address fears, concerns and unruly behaviour, you can nip it in the bud before anything serious happens.

• Be the informed one, but not a know it all

Sometimes it can seem a little bit intimidating to ask question about specific tasks. Maybe you feel as though you should already know and will come across as an idiot; however, this couldn’t be further from the truth! Ask and ask some more. When it comes to the safety aspects of an operation, new or inexperienced workers can sometimes see things that are missed by someone who becomes a little cocky or over-confident in their task.

• Complete all work with more than one person

The best way to make sure you get the best possible reports is to complete them with another person. This grants the benefits of differing opinions, different perspectives and joint feedback for said task. As a bonus, if a time frame has been set to undertake the safety observation, you are way more likely to complete the task if you have made an appointment with another employee.

• Make sure you acknowledge a job well done

Everyone likes to be acknowledged, and on a job site, it is even more important to let people know that they have done their job well, even if not perfectly. By this, I mean, you’re not looking to catch people out while completing a safety observation. All you are trying to do is make a safer work environment. So when someone does something right, tell them.

I hope this helps to improving your Workplace Safety Observations and for your future safety observations.