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Let Safety Incentives Strengthen Fall Protection and Boost Your Safety Culture
Promote open communication about safety concerns and encourage and even reward employees for reporting potential hazards or unsafe practices without fear of retribution. This proactive approach can help identify and address issues before they result in accidents or non-reporting issues.
- Review and Adapt the Program
Regularly review the incentive program to ensure its continued effectiveness. Solicit feedback from employees to understand their views on the program and identify any areas for improvement. Be prepared to adapt the program based on this feedback and any changes in the work environment or safety regulations. Some programs offered by incentive companies actually have built-in employee surveys to help lower any potential administration.
Reviewing the Benefits of Safety Incentives
- Enhanced compliance. Safety incentives can lead to improved adherence to fall protection protocols. Employees are more likely to follow safety procedures when they know that their efforts will be recognized and rewarded.
- Increased awareness. Incentives can raise awareness and reinforce the message from the top that safety is a top priority.
- Improved morale. Recognizing and rewarding safe practices can boost employee morale and job satisfaction. A positive reinforcement approach creates a more engaged and motivated workforce over the traditional “consequence for doing something wrong” type of program.
- Reduced incidents. By encouraging consistent use of fall protection measures and adherence to safety protocols, incentive programs can help reduce the number of fall-related incidents and injuries as well as any other type of accidents or injuries they may be experiencing.
Conclusion
Safety incentives can be a powerful tool in enhancing fall protection and overall workplace safety. By setting clear objectives, effectively communicating the program — including frequent rewarding and gamification — and regularly evaluating program’s impact, you can create a motivating environment that encourages adherence to safety protocols. While safety incentives offer numerous benefits, it’s crucial to balance them with a strong safety culture and ensure that they support rather than detract from the core values of workplace safety.
This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.
About the Author
Buck Peavey is President / CEO of the incentive employee engagement company Peavey Performance Systems. The company markets the industry-recognized Safety Jackpot program. In its 70 year history, clientele has included Coca-Cola, 3M, Dow, Hilton, City of Los Angeles, FedEx, Apple, and thousands of others large and small, across 13 countries. To learn more visit www.safetyjackpot.com.