It’s amazing what inspectors, attorneys and consultants look for when they are called in to assess a workplace safety situation. One of my personal favorites is the “dusty safety manual. Now, I know you may be scratching your head and wondering why this document is special. Allow me the opportunity to elaborate.
Most of us have a book in our homes that we pull out as a reference. In fact, for many families, it’s the Bible. It’s usually well-worn because someone has been constantly flipping the pages. Those pages probably have marks, notes and highlighted pages. It looks like it’s actually been used.
Well, your safety manual at work should be just like that Bible. A safety manual is designed to serve as a living document that guides all employees about the appropriate safety protocols to follow in the workplace. It should be used and used often. The manual serves as the bible in your work place.
So what’s special about the “dDusty safety manual”? The dust is a clear indication that the manual hasn’t been used in a while. Do you know what that means? If someone- an investigator, for instance- is trying to determine the level of safety in company has, this dusty manual will tell them just how actively (or inactively) your employees are following the protocols.
Now, don’t get me wrong;Your employees could be so stellar that they know the safety protocols inside and out, so they don’t need to go to the manual. But, you should be smart. Your safety program should encourage employees to refer to the safety manual often. Don’t let that dust be to your downfall.
