March Toolbox talk: safety intervention

What is a safety intervention?

• ​A discussion by one or more people with an individual or a group regarding an observation of a potentially unsafe act, practice or procedure.
• A safety intervention is action taken to prevent an injury or incident from occurring. 

What are the reasons for unsafe acts?

• Convenience
• Others do it
• Nothing has ever happened
• No one really cares

Why is a safety intervention necessary?

• Reduce the approach to risk-taking
• Create a safer workforce
• Have a more interconnected workforce
• Enhance workplace safety culture

Who should intervene?

• All employees have an obligation to speak up when they identify an at-risk behavior or condition. 
• Employees in a leadership role need to be a role model; if an activity doesn't look right, start to ask questions.
• Employees in a leadership role give silent consent when they ignore an at-risk situation; they need to speak up.
• If employees don't see leaders intervening they will not think it is important - if it is important to the leader it will be important to the employee.

How do you intervene?

• Have the courage to stop at-risk situations is what is important
• Care about your co-workers
• Focus on the situation and not the person
• Be positive and open with the person
• Tell the person what you observed
• Have a conversation and talk about the situation

What are the pitfalls of intervention?

• Takes you out of your comfort zone
• Negative reaction from co-worker(s)
• That's my supervisor's job or safety contact's job

Step up to the plate

• Realize the impact of non-intervention
• Be receptive to intervention
• Encourage others to intervene

Conclusion

• Don't wait until it's too late
• Stop at-risk actions and conditions before injury or incidents occur
• It is your duty and obligation to intervene on behalf of safety

Intervention is one step toward accident prevention