The Safety C.I.R.C.L.E.

What’s a circle?

Weird question to ask, right?

Well, yes, a circle is a shape, but that’s not what I’m trying to get at here. It’s what a circle represents that makes the difference. Circles have often had deeper meanings amongst different peoples and cultures throughout history. For example, Indigenous cultures place high importance on circular symbols as they often represent the cycle of life, nature, and the interconnectedness of all things. Think of the medicine wheel; it represents health, balance, and the four cardinal directions.

In Taoism the Yin-Yang is a circle divided into two swirling halves representing balance and the interconnectedness of opposing forces. It illustrates the idea that harmony exists within duality. In ancient Greek culture the circle was a symbol of perfection and the divine. Pythagoras saw the circle as a representation of harmony. In many African cultures circles are not only used in art as expression, but architecture as well. Many traditional African villages are laid out in a circular design to reflect the communal nature of life and the importance of working together and unity.

To me, circles represent continuity and process. Because a circle loops endlessly, it can be a reflection of ongoing commitments in both personal and professional life. I look at my wedding ring for example (which I never wear; relax, I have my wife’s initials tattooed on my ring finger!) and think about the commitment I made to her and how that commitment and promise has grown to include my children. I also look at it professionally and how career growth and learning is circular. There’s always going to be something to learn, an area to improve, and room to grow.

Now think about how a circle can represent safety and the never-ending effort to improve, adapt, and protect.

I spend a fair amount of time engaging with people within industry. Cohorts, companies, mentors, and younger/newer safety professionals alike. It’s in conversation with the newer safety professionals where I try to simplify things into manageable chunks. See, Occupational Health and Safety isn’t cut and dry, there are plenty of schools of thought, processes, systems, and methods out there that we can turn to for guidance. The issue is that sometimes in that process we can make it difficult for people outside of our wheelhouses (see, another circle reference, I’m on fire today) to understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.

I’ve been using an acronym a lot over the course of my safety career, and it’s something that I haven’t shared publicly here, but I’ve shared it in conversation with other professionals before and I’ve written down in almost every notebook I’ve ever had (outside of the legal notebooks issued to us as officers with the MOL because you know, evidence). It’s helped me always steer myself back in the right direction when doing my job. Considering the introduction above, any guesses as to what the acronym is?

C.I.R.C.L.E

C.I.R.C.L.E. represents (in my opinion) the fundamentals of how to be effective as a safety professional. Now, it may be different for other people, but I’ve lived on three sides of the industry (boots on the ground worker, enforcement Officer, and safety professional) and can tell you that my perspective on this has been shaped by my experiences on those three sides.

As a worker and Supervisor in construction, I was safety focused…ish. My main priority was to get the job done. I also hated when someone would come and tell me that their book said I was doing something wrong. Even if the intention was always good and for my own benefit, it was the approach that I hated. I carried that feeling into my career in enforcement and tried to avoid being the “safety cop”, even though technically that’s exactly what I was. Now, being on the proactive side, I use my experience to shape how I approach this role, this industry, and most importantly, the people I’m tasked with keeping safe.

So what’s the acronym mean?

C: Collaboration

Collaboration means working together and pooling knowledge and perspectives to address issues effectively. Collaboration makes sure that safety becomes a collective effort and not just a top-down directive. Don’t talk AT people, talk TO people. Collaboration is inviting everyone to the table to discuss solutions to problems, and going back to interpretations of a circle, collaboration is inclusivity.

I: Involvement

Everyone has a role to play. Get everyone involved in the safety program. When employees are actively engaged they’re more likely to take ownership of their safety and the safety of others. Involvement means everyone, from the boardrooms to the boots. It means participation in meetings, hazard assessments, and daily safety routines. As much as we like to think we’re “so busy”, we can never be too busy to work safely.

R: Respect

This is a big one for me. Respect the work and respect the people doing the work. They have the expertise and can provide the most valuable insights allowing for us as a whole to identify potential risks and create effective practices and procedures. Valuing their input helps shape and build a strong safety culture and program. You don’t know everything. Instead of telling someone how to do their job safely when you’ve never done it yourself, sit with them, understand the work, and come up with ways that actually work and are sustainable practices for long term success.

C: Communication

Communication Is the backbone of any effective safety program and culture. It’s not just about passing along information; it’s about ensuring that information is received by the people who need to receive it to ensure everyone is on the same page and understands the potential hazards and processes. Clear, consistent communication helps prevent incidents and keep safety at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Effective communication also keeps dialogue open, giving people a way to ask questions and discuss strategies.

L: Leadership

Being a Leader can, but doesn’t always have to mean being a boss. Leadership in safety comes down to leading by example regardless of your position. Everyone must be a leader when it comes to safety. Monkey see monkey do right? This is especially important to remember when seasoned workers are mentoring newer or younger workers. Be the example. Now, when we talk about being the example, it’s important for people in management positions to remember that they are the ultimate example. Demonstrating a commitment to safety from the top down helps set the standard for everyone as to what’s acceptable. Leadership isn’t just about making policies, it’s about living them.

E: Education

We never stop learning in life, and the same goes for safety. Ongoing training and development keeps safety knowledge current and relevant. Training, Re-Training, and maintaining training helps people stay aware of risks, both existing and new, and keeps them aware of best practices, which also change over time and in any given situation.

So there you have it, that’s my C.I.R.C.L.E. approach. From my mind to paper, it’s an approach that has worked for me over the years in various safety roles.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, but to me, a practical way I like to break down the complex world of safety into actionable pieces while recognizing the interconnectedness of each piece. Each component rolls into the other.

Each letter in C.I.R.C.L.E. represents a key part of making safety more effective and inclusive in my own practice and has helped me stay grounded and focused on what really matters. While this approach has been valuable in my career, you might find different strategies work better for your situation. Feel free to expand on these ideas or adapt them to fit your own needs. The goal is to find what works best for you and your team, ensuring safety is a continuous, collaborative effort.

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