Monday – Safety Kickoff Event

At EnPro facilities around the globe, the first working day of the year beings with the Safety Kickoff Event. Instead of turning on the manufacturing equipment and getting to work, employees gather and spend time learning about safety and getting reengaged in safe work practices.

Why start the year with a safety kickoff event? What does it signal to the employees, visitors and contractors? What tone does it set? For new employees, it may come as a surprise beginning a new year this way but it really makes the commitment to safety loud and clear. This event also works to establish safety as a core value to the business and that all accidents are preventable. Beginning the New Year this way also sets a firm expectation for all employees to act and work safely, to develop habits of excellence and create a sense of community.

Tuesday – Kickoff Event Basics

There are lots of different approaches to crafting a fun, educational, and effective event. The key is tailoring events to the audience that receives it and ensuring that employees from all levels of the organization are involved in the development and delivery. Beginning the event with a welcome back message from corporate and facility leadership teams is ideal. Often these messages are pre-recorded videos shared with all employees and can be used at new hire safety orientations throughout the year to welcome employees into the facilities culture of safety excellence. Every kickoff event should include an active reciting and signing of the Safety Pledge each employee is asked to sign.

The EnPro Safety Pledge is as follows:

“I pledge to personally be involved to create an injury-free workplace. My dedication to creating a safe workplace free of all injuries will be absolute and clear through my actions.”

Especially in larger facilities, employees from across the organization help to facilitate different aspects of the event throughout the day. This is a great opportunity for those wanting to get more exposure to EHS and for those looking to further develop their career. Attached to this week’s briefing is a sample agenda for a kickoff event that shows event components and timing for your reference.

Wednesday – Safety Kickoff Event 2

Something else to consider adding into your kickoff event is time to share your Safety My Voice. The Safety My Voice exercise is a great platform to share why safety is important to you. It is a meaningful way to put safety forefront and ensure your coworkers understand your motivation and commitment to safety and to create bonds with coworkers who can relate to and appreciate your commitment.

Safety My Voice is essentially the change to take a step back and take time to reflect on what safety and working safely means to us. The Safety My Voice exercise expresses what brought you to your current level of understanding and implementation of safety in your daily lives. Why do you make a safe choice? Why do you make an unsafe choice? Why is safety an important factor in every task? You can share stories from work or home that expresses what safety means to you.

Thursday – A La Carte Events

To supplement the main components of the kickoff event, consider adding in one or more of these:

• Host a guest speaker who has sustained a workplace injury.
• Invite vendors of PPE to showcase the latest supplies on the market.
• Bring in vendors of supplies that are specific to each department to showcase the latest innovations and learn more about tool safety.
• Invite local emergency responders to learn about fire, medical, animal, and other emergency topics.
• Conduct compliance training with fun, hands-on activities.
• Set up tours of the facility to highlight safety improvements from the prior year and to allow employees to learn about areas of the plant they may not see.
• Plan event components based on departmental needs:
  • Office ergnomics training for sales, finance, and other desk employees.
  • Safe travel and driving tips fr outside sales force and field support.
• Use the event to offer assistance and resources to areas that are in need:
• Review open safety opportunity reports and allot time and resources to get the opportunities addressed and closed.
• Take employees on a tour of areas stages with waste and recycling to highlight waste streams still in need of recycling opportunities.
• Set up demonstrations and presentations for Safety Action Teams to highlight last year’s accomplishments and recruit new team members.
• Include facility wide incentives for safety and wellness.

 Friday – Freestyle Friday

Today have everyone share at least one idea or suggestion for the your company’s Safety Kickoff Event and send those ideas to your EHS representatives and safety team members!