An effective Safety Team leader will provide direction for the rest of the team. This person doesn’t have to be a President or a Manager of operations, but someone who has the trust of team members to help them navigate the issues that may present themselves in trying to achieve established goals.

Goals are what give a team vision. Even more, if the goals are not clearly defined, the team may waste their energy on tasks that may not be resolved. Instead of setting a goal of zero injuries, help the team understand why injuries hurt the organization and set attainable goals to incrementally reduce the numbers in reaching profitability.

Once the goals are set, a game plan is needed to give the team parameters to work within. This plan should include a general sequence of steps, activities needed to meet the goals, a timeline to keep activities in check, and the communication process to organize the efforts. Keep the plan simple as to avoid bogging down the process with unnecessary procedures.

Communication is the key to success. Without effective communication, it will be a chore to achieve any goal that is set.

One important key to effective communication is making sure the people on the receiving end clearly understand the message being relayed. Keeping communication open and active can only benefit your team when tackling any endeavor.

Humans are hardwired to respond to motivation. If done right, encouragement and motivation can push your Safety Team to achieve amazing results. A task is much easier to accomplish when there is encouragement, support, and motivation among and from the team.

By working these five elements into the process of building an effective Safety Culture, you will build a stronger Safety Team and consistently lower your loss costs on an annual basis. Contact DTRIC’s Risk Consulting Services to help build your Safety Team.