• For your employees' sake, always seek new safety ideas for your workplace.factory image by e1129783 from Fotolia.com
  
  Safety awareness in the workplace can deflect many accidents. When workers are constantly thinking about working safely, they are less likely to take risks or relax their vigilance. According to Stephan V. Magyar, in his article "Industrial Accidents" for the Jul. 1, 2006 issue of Occupational Health & Safety magazine, human error seems to be the biggest factor in work related injuries. Employees and foremen need to keep safety continually in the forefront of their working day. Industrial safety ideas can promote safety in your shop.
  
  

Industrial Safety Week

• If your company does not already participate in an annual or semiannual safety week, initiate one based on the particular needs and issues of your work. Focus on a different aspect of work safety each day. Provide a healthy snack for coffee break one of the days to reinforce the concept that management cares about the health of the worker. Have a 3-minute safety talk. Collect suggestions from workers for safety issues they think are important. Have a contest for a new safety slogan. Have posters printed to post around the shop. Arrange with one of your suppliers for a guest speaker on safety-related topics.
  
  

Safety Suggestion Box With Prizes

• Develop a promotion seeking suggestions from workers. Begin advertising it a week or two ahead of time. Create imaginative suggestion receptacles. A small helicopter atop a round sphere representing earth would work for a shop producing helicopter parts. A large tool box would be meaningful at many plants. Provide a prize for each participant such as a small first aid kit for their personal vehicle. Publicize the suggestions after the contest ends and indicate how you will implement these ideas.
  
  

Introduce Humor Into Safety Posters

• Use safety posters to reinforce safety tips at strategic points around your facility such as the water fountain, restroom, time clock or tool checkout station. Insert humor and you may find better recall of what you're communicating. For instance, "Safety glasses: All in favor say 'Eye!'" is a play on words that clearly communicates you should wear safety glasses to protect your vision. Partner these words with cartoon artwork and you have a poster that packs a punch.
  
  

Send Workers to Safety Seminars

• Send one or two workers to a safety seminar. Management and supervisory personnel usually attend off-site meetings, but turn the tables and select someone off the assembly line. Search for an appropriate meeting in your region, then make arrangements for a couple of employees to attend. Let them report what they learn at a company lunch with a safety theme.
  
  

Safety Day Picnic for Company Families

• If your company has employees with children, consider a company-wide Family Safety Day. You can have a tour of the plant, games and activities using the theme and safety equipment, such as hard hats, asbestos gloves or eye protection. While the children attend special activities for their age, have a speaker address the employees and spouses about measures your plant takes to insure the workers are in a safe environment. This demonstration of concern could reassure spouses and foster encouragement for the workers themselves.