The Safetypro Podcast - Helping You Manage Workplace Safety One Episode At A Time!

Powered by iReportSource 2019 - It was a year of change and growth for me, both personally and professionally: new partnerships, new professional connections, conferences. The podcast growth was significant last year - it has been growing exponentially year over year since the start, but last year it saw a lot of growth. I was able to expand the podcast in new ways thanks to the growing popularity of podcasts as well as more ways to find and enjoy podcasts. Spotify, Pandora, and iHeart Radio all jumped into the podcast offering space. Also, Google finally offered its official podcast app - although it may have missed the train as most Android users have been listening to podcasts via other podcast apps available to them for several years now. I was also able to expand the podcast by partnering with other podcast networks. You can now hear this podcast on Safety FM network - while I maintain independence, this partnership allows them to re-broadcast episodes. At the same time, I keep creative control and the

Powered by iReportSource Are concepts like "responsibility" and "being held accountable" viewed negatively by your employees? Most likely, it's because leaders have tried to mandate responsibility from the top down. But that's not how responsibility works. People are intrinsically motivated to fulfill their commitments for a range of reasons, none of which include being mandated -- at least not effectively nor sustainably. A top-down approach makes employees feel like a kid again -- it doesn't cultivate trust and freedom -- and it doesn't motivate people to find their way to stay on top of things. Instead, leaders can encourage more responsibility among employees by creating an organizational culture that promotes and cascades accountability through five areas of focus. Gallup's research and consulting experience show that to promote accountability, leaders, and managers should: 1. Define what people are accountable for. Employees need clearly defined expectations to achieve goals. Organizations may have eve

Powered by iReportSource How workers show up each day directly shapes your culture. To be an engaged, safe, productive culture, we want our people highly involved and deeply committed to the company mission. No doubt that today, many organizations are seeking to create and sustain this kind of engaged company culture. That's why we're taking a closer look at just a few of the top ways we can ensure that the systems, the processes, the values, and the norms of your organization all help to improve the employee experience. Let's talk about a few strategies you can embed in your culture so you can improve employee engagement. Make accountability a high priority A positive safety culture is one where someone feels safe enough to say to a colleague, "I noticed that you're not wearing your safety glasses." In turn, we want that colleague to respect the other person enough to respond positively and change their behavior. The values of the team, in such organizations, reinforce constructive accountability. Workers l

Powered by iReportSource The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), on July 2, 1982, announced the establishment of the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) to recognize and promote effective worksite-based safety and health management systems. In the VPP, management, labor, and OSHA establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that are implementing or have implemented comprehensive safety and health management systems. Approval into VPP is OSHA’s official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have created exemplary worksite safety and health management systems. OSHA offers assistance to sites committed to achieving the VPP level of excellence. VPP Principles Voluntarism: Participation in VPP is strictly voluntary. The applicant who wishes to participate freely submits information to OSHA on its safety and health management system, goes above and beyond compliance with the OSH Act and applicable OSHA requirements, and opens itself to agency review. Cooperati

Powered by iReportSource We know by now that the application of a safety management system (SMS) can drastically improve organizational safety performance. Even OSHA's Partnership program, VPP, relies on management system principles, and you can see the results that participants encounter on their website. So, back in 1999, ANSI started a committee to begin work on what would become known as the Z10 standard. The committee looked at existing national and international standards in occupational safety and health. Initially approved in 2005, it was revised once and reaffirmed in 2017. More recently, the collaboration between ANSI and the American Industrial Hygiene Association was replaced on the Z10 committee by the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), which is why you will now see the standard now titled ANSI/ASSP Z10. ANSI Z10 encourages participants to integrate other management systems with the safety management system. Mainly because most other systems follow the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) m

Powered by iReportSource According to ISO, the purpose of a safety management system is to provide a framework for managing safety and health risks and opportunities. Of course, this means preventing workplace accidents, injuries, and illnesses by recognizing and eliminating or managing risks by taking preventative and protective measures. The structure of ISO 45001 will tell you everything you need to know about how effective safety management systems are set up. Let’s take a look at this SMS at a high-level then get into each element. There are ten areas of focus found in ISO 45001: Scope References Definitions Context of the Organization Leadership and Worker Participation Planning Support Operation Performance Evaluation Improvement I will not get into all of these in great detail but will touch on most to get an understanding of what is needed when considering ISO 45001 for your organization. Let’s just skip to number four since I think you get the scope of why ISO 45001 was created if you listened to

Powered by iReportSource As mentioned in episode 81 - What is "Systems Thinking," I will talk about root cause analysis or RCA - another aspect of a systems approach, Let’s define it and talk about how it can be applied. In episode 33: Lean Safety, I recommended some excellent books to help you out. TapRoot® is another great resource as well as the book Pre-Accident Investigation by Todd Conklin - I have this one and contains great insight. But remember, whatever books you read or concepts you follow, if all you get is a strategic overview of these principals, then you will need to follow that up with tactical training to be able to use the right tools and techniques for a given situation. For example, I went through HOP training, was a H.O.P. coach for a former employer, so jump on Linkedin and ask your network how they are applying these concepts, ask for help. One thing I want to share about Conklin’s book that has stuck with me (there is a lot, but this one is a favorite); “Safety is not the absence of

Powered by iReportSource In this episode, I continue my series breaking down Safety Management Systems (SMS) and will talk about Continuous Process Improvement. Before I can do that, we need to understand something else about SMS - In episode 80 of The SafetyPro Podcast, Safety Management System (SMS) Defined, I talked about how you need to move away from individual programs and toward a systems approach to safety management. Well, there is something called systems thinking, and we are going to get into what that is and how you can shift not only the way you look at managing safety but also how your organization can make the shift from managing programs to integrating safety within the rest of the business by using systems thinking. I recently came across an interesting article over at The Systems Thinker written by Micheal Goodman, and I thought it would help safety pros better understand what system thinking is all about. Michael is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and practitioner in the fie

Powered by iReportSource A safety management system (SMS) is a continuous improvement process that reduces hazards and prevents incidents. It protects the health and safety of your employees and should be integrated into everyday processes throughout the organization. Investing in an SMS makes a measurable impact on your bottom line and can be viewed as a competitive advantage. The adoption of an SMS framework and thoughtful implementation of the various pieces can have a significant impact on protecting employees and enhancing your organization’s performance and profitability. Now, safety requirements may differ across industries; the best performing organizations focus on continuous improvement that achieves the ongoing reduction of risk with a goal of zero incidents. Yes, we do sometimes have to say that. And yes, just because you have zero incidents in a given reporting period does not mean the organization is risk-free. Like I always say, no injury doesn't indicate a lack of risk. But the best companies

Powered by iReportSource When an incident occurs it is the investigator’s main function to gather all relevant evidence in order to discover root causes and ultimately prevent a recurrence. The tricky part is that evidence isn’t always what it seems. Witnesses accounts can be spotty, inconsistent, they may tell conflicting stories about the same incident, etc. Physical or even environmental conditions can change before the investigation process begins. Paperwork, such as a work instruction or JSA, may be misplaced or even changed in some way. With all of these variables and more, you want to make sure you collect the right types of evidence during your investigation. I want to share with you some information from TapRooT®, which is a systematic process and training for finding the real root causes and precursor incidents, for not only major accidents but minor mishaps and even near misses. According to TapRooT®, there are four types (or categories) of evidence to be evaluated. TapRooT® calls these categories

Powered by iReportSource When a company is looking to hire its next safety leader they must be sure to select the right person for the job. But hiring a safety leader goes well beyond their safety and health credentials and experience. You want to have someone with the right safety mindset, not just safety background and experience. The same thing goes for hiring production or other team leaders. Everyone knows the importance that teams play in organizational success. However, let’s not forget that teams are made up of individual players, each with strengths and weaknesses. In his book, The Ideal Team Player, Patrick Lencioni reveals the three indispensable virtues that make some people better team players than others, and this speaks to their mindset (1). According to Lencioni: Ideal team players are humble. This is a person who lacks excessive ego or concerns about status. Humble people are quick to point out the contributions of others. They are slow to seek attention for their own, explains Lencioni. The

Powered by iReportSource Get the JSA template HERE. OSHA has a great page for this topic HERE. Many companies rely on a super-simple tool to define appropriate safe work practices for specific jobs. The Job Safety Analysis Process (also referred to as a JSA, or Job Hazard Analysis - JHA). The JSA is a very effective means of helping to identify and manage hazards associated with task thus reducing incidents, accidents, and injuries in the workplace. It is also an excellent tool to use during new employee orientations and operator training and can also be used to investigate "near misses" and accidents. Job Safety Analysis (JSA) is based on the following ideas:  That a specific job or work assignment can be separated into a series of relatively simple steps. Hazards associated with each step can be identified. Solutions can be developed to control each hazard. To start the JSA Process, select the job or task to be performed. Any job that has hazards or potential hazards is a candidate for a JSA. An uncommon

Powered by iReportSource As I continue my podcast interviews in New Orleans from the 2019 VPPPA Safety+ Symposium I had the honor of interviewing some Association Board members. They shared some sound advice for anyone looking to improve their safety and health management system as well as some insights for safety pros struggling with challenges along the way. Visit www.vpppa.org for more information about this amazing organization! You can find me on LinkedIn! Post a LinkedIn update, letting me know what you think of the podcast. Be sure to @ mention Blaine J. Hoffmann or The SafetyPro Podcast LinkedIn page. You can also find the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #vpppa2019

Powered by iReportSource Here at the 2019 VPPPA National Safety Symposium where everyone you meet has a story to tell. Kelly Pitts shares his message of a near-death experience and what you can learn and take back to your organization. You can find me on LinkedIn! Post a LinkedIn update, letting me know what you think of the podcast. Be sure to @ mention Blaine J. Hoffmann or The SafetyPro Podcast LinkedIn page. You can also find the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #vpppa2019

Powered by iReportSource As I continue my podcasting interview marathon from the 2019 VPPPA National Safety Symposium, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Abby Ferri to discuss the issues that women in the workforce continue to experience with PPE - which is in large part designed for men. Abby has over 15 years of experience in the field of safety and health in diverse industries, including construction, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, beverage, and retail. Abby has become well-known in this industry as a practical and creative safety professional. Learn more about Abby by visiting www.theferrigroup.co You can find me on LinkedIn! Post a LinkedIn update, letting me know what you think of the podcast. Be sure to @ mention Blaine J. Hoffmann or The SafetyPro Podcast LinkedIn page. You can also find the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #vpppa2019

Powered by iReportSource Diana Paredes is an experienced bilingual safety manager in the tough yet rewarding food & beverage industry. She is a SafetyPro podcast listener joining me at the 2019 VPPPA National Safety Symposium and shares some words of wisdom and strategies to help drive employee engagement, ownership and stresses the simple act of recognizing the many small victories our workers achieve every day. It was an absolute pleasure to meet Diana and hear about her experiences in safety. I am such a fan! You can find me on LinkedIn! Post a LinkedIn update letting me know what you think of the podcast. Be sure to @ mention Blaine J. Hoffmann or The SafetyPro Podcast LinkedIn page. You can also find the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Powered by iReportSource Frank King, nationally-known suicide prevention and postvention speaker and trainer, was a writer for The Tonight Show for 20 years, is a corporate comedian, syndicated humor columnist, and podcast personality, who was featured on CNN’s Business Unusual. Depression and suicide run his family. He’s thought about killing himself more times than he can count. He’s fought a lifetime battle with depression, and thoughts of ending his life, turning that long dark journey of the soul into sharing his lifesaving insights on mental and emotional health awareness, with corporations, associations, youth (middle school and high school), and college audiences. As an inspirational and motivational speaker and trainer he uses the life lessons from the above, as well as lessons learned as a rather active consumer of healthcare, both mental and physical, to start the conversation giving people who battle mental and emotional illness permission to give voice to their feelings and experiences surroundi

Powered by iReportSource Catch this on-location interview with VPPPA Chairman of the Board Mr. J.A. Rodriguez Jr. and Mr. Terry Schulte - VPP Director at NuStar. We talk about what the VPP framework can do for non-VPP participants and how VPPPA can help them solve even the most basic safety compliance challenges. You can find me on LinkedIn! Post a LinkedIn update letting me know what you think of the podcast. Be sure to @ mention Blaine J. Hoffmann or The SafetyPro Podcast LinkedIn page. You can also find the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Powered by iReportSource What’s the difference between personal/occupational safety and process safety? Wesley Carter from the Amplify Your Process Safety podcast will get into this and more on this special episode recorded on location at the VPPPA National Safety Symposium in New Orleans. Find out more about Wesley and Amplify Consultants by checking out the Amplify Your Process Safety Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.amplifyconsultants.com. Join me in New Orleans for the VPPPA National Safety Symposium -  I will podcast on-location and would like to meet as many listeners as possible! Stop by the media center next to registration! If not attending, catch up on all the latest topics being presented as I share key takeaways and thoughts for you!   You can find me on LinkedIn! Post a LinkedIn update letting me know what you think of the podcast. Be sure to @ mention Blaine J. Hoffmann or The SafetyPro Podcast LinkedIn page. You can also find the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and Tw

Don't Miss this Free, On-Demand Webinar Powered by iReportSource   Complacency is a state of mind where a worker is out of touch with the hazards and risks around them. It can show up in a number of ways: over-confidence, lack of care, mindlessness, actual physical signs, a rushed approach to the work, frustration, fatigue, your mind not being totally on-task, cutting corners…the list goes on and on. Complacency is one of the most problematic mindsets that can contribute to injuries and incidents on the job. So how can you move towards a culture where you reduce and minimize complacency? And in what way can you move from outdated, lagging indicators to leading indicators to help you proactively manage safety? In this free and on-demand webinar, I will uncover: How you can spot complacency in your organization 5 proven and proactive ways to combat complacency Real-life examples of how you can reduce this mindset Best practices in reinforcing behaviors that reduce complacency Avoid complacency and