tips for creating a safety culture

Recognize and investigate

A. Unsafe behavior or conditions that can lead to a claim

• Drivers' unsafe acts or behavior

• Roadside inspections (carrier pro. le)

• Motoring public reports of unsafe behavior

• Late pick-up or deliveries

• Speeding (info from driver or carrier pro. le)

• Log book violations (in-house audits)

• Seat belt usage – lack thereof (statistics)

• Cargo securement problems

B. Do dispatchers and supervisors perform unsafe acts?

• Utilizing fatigued drivers or other employees

• Shortage of driving hours

• Dispatching “be there yesterday loads”

• Unsafe equipment

C. Failing to recognize personal problems of a driver or other employee

• Shared responsibility for safe or unsafe acts

• A & B above if you become aware of it and say nothing

• Driver and other employee training (orientation)

• Bonus or reward programs for recognition of safe acts – employees, drivers, dispatchers and managers

Educate and motivate

• Orientate your employees and drivers with your introduction to your safety culture beliefs

• Send the right signal – introduce your views on safe and unsafe acts or behaviors

• Use key personnel, dispatchers, customer service people in orientation for new hires

• Safety meetings with GRIT – Use senior personnel and drivers' experiences as tools for conveying safety messages and the hazards or unsafe acts

• Dispatchers, operations managers, project managers, executives. Get involved. This sends a strong message that taking safety to a higher level is everyone's responsibility

Rewards pay

Reward or bonus programs do work

• Reward drivers for clean roadside inspections

• Reward dispatchers for accident free.

• Reward project managers for claim free projects

• Safety is everybody's game