“One of the most important best practices is creating a safety culture. In our industry, we have a go-go-go mentality, and sometimes productivity is prioritized above safety. It’s important to establish a safety culture putting safety at the forefront.
“We always tell our members that ‘Safety is not just books sitting on a shelf in case you need them; it should be done every day.’ It’s something that we should practice.
“Having everybody involved in safety culture, from management all the way down to laborers, is very important. When we’re talking about safety culture, there is no chain of command. It’s everybody’s job and responsibility.
“Accountability is another important aspect of establishing good safety practices. It goes back to the idea that everyone is responsible for safety. If something is seen, or if something needs to be done, action must be taken. Everyone, including managers and supervisors, must follow suit.
“Another best safety practice is involvement or engagement. It’s about having employees involved in finding out about best safety practices, what policies are in place, and what needs to be done to follow them. It’s about talking to people and working with them to develop plans and procedures. If you can make it more effective and easier for them to handle, it’s much more likely that people will stick to it.”
701-235-4184 | www.ndgda.org
Reprinted from Grain Journal September/October 2019 Issue