Refusing Unsafe Work: As Easy as it Sounds, Right?

These days, most North American authorities require employers to ensure their employees are aware of their right to refuse unsafe work. Accordingly, responsible employers cover this topic with their employees, typically during the onboarding process. Senior leaders, managers, supervisors, and even the safety team are satisfied that this compliance item is completed and sustainable.

Done!

…Or is it?

Question: Are your new, young workers feeling your genuine concern and likely to report unsafe work?

Allow me to share a hypothetical situation that is likely to play out in most organizations:

A new, young worker is onboarded prior to performing work and enjoys the interactions with HR, safety, or other personnel. During the onboarding, the subject of refusing unsafe work is covered. First day on the job site, at the start-of-shift (tailgate) safety meeting a supervisor informs the crew a certain task must be completed today to avoid delaying other aspects of the project. The supervisor then turns to the new, young worker and asks, “do you know how to operate a [insert name of power tool or equipment]?”

As an employer, how convinced are you that this new, young worker will ask for a hands-on demonstration? Is there any chance this employee will “fake it ‘til they make it” and use trial and error to figure out the power tool? Will your supervisor be impatient or frustrated by this demonstration request?

5 Reasons why new, young workers may perform unsafe work:

1. Do not recognize the act, condition, or tool as hazardous.
2. Not wanting to upset the supervisor, the crew, and/or impede production.
3. Wish to impress supervisor and/or crew with of range of abilities.
4. Do not know a legitimate process to raise safety concerns.
5. Personal reasons (E.g., saving for a ???, family pressure to be employed, peer expectations)

If workers do not report unsafe work, your employees and your company may suffer mishaps and/or liabilities!

When any employee raises a safety concern or reports unsafe work, the conversation can go one of two ways:

1. The concern is validated, and negative impacts (or disaster) are avoided, or
2. The worker is informed of controls in place and ceases to be concerned.

Effective ways to encourage new, young workers to report unsafe work:

• Pair a new, young worker with an experienced worker (mentor) as part of a competency program.
• Starting with onboarding process, ensure new hires feel safe in reporting unsafe work.
• Insist your supervisors and managers have an open-door policy and support unsafe work reports.
• Ensure new, young workers are aware of appropriate method for suggesting new work practices.
• Have new, young workers informed of options for reporting unsafe work conditions before they start.

People make our workplaces safer (and our employers more productive) when information and ideas are shared and acted upon, where appropriate. Empower your people; don’t beat them down. Supervisors and managers best serve their subordinates when they encourage, support, and act upon 2-way communication. Effective management creates an environment where information about safety hazards, risks, and controls flows freely.

Do you have a story where someone did not report unsafe work?

Any other suggestions for ensuring people report unsafe work?

#safety #safetyculture #refuseunsafework