Safety Meetings

Life is full of surprises; some of them can be pleasing and some can be threatening. The only way to avoid the threatening surprises is being aware of them, so that you can deal effectively with them when they strike you.

Because accidents never happen with prior notification, you must always be prepared, so that you can cope with the situation easily. Safety meetings can come to your rescue long before the unpleasing events take place, so that you can avoid them.

You have already heard terms like civil defense and self-defense. People are provided with civil or self-defense training so that they can be prepared to face various emergencies.

With increased awareness about safety and security, a lot of companies have started providing their employees with tips that can save them from possible injuries at work.

Apart from this, various schools too, have safety meets so that children can take better care of themselves, especially in case of contagious diseases, etc. These meetings are generally conducted when an accident or emergency occurs, but it is advisable to conduct them on a regular basis as prevention.

If you browse the Internet, you will find thousands of safety topics, but all of them would not be related to your goal of safety. So the best idea is determining your own topics as per your needs or nature of work.

For example, if yours is the factory which involves working with various machines, then have a meeting on hazards of machines, or occupational hazards, etc. You can have a meeting and talk about the hazards of one machine per week, or all of them in one meeting.

If the accident has already taken place, then organize a meeting related to that topic. For example, if one of the staff members is seriously ill with jaundice, then hold a meeting related to jaundice, its causes, prevention, symptoms, treatment, etc.

So selection of workplace safety topics depends on the type of industry, type of work, and possibility of probable injuries or accidents associated with the physical structure of the office.

Apart from this, there are some common office safety topics, such as, Internet safety, computer safety, electrical safety, fire safety, cell phone safety, etc. Here are some of the safety topics for work that can be included in your meetings for employees:

• Why safety is important at the workplace?
• Safety regulations in the workplace.
• Importance of following safety measures.
• Importance of following safety policies.

• How to prevent workplace injuries.
• How to prevent workplace violence.
• Emergency information training.
• Information on earthquake and safety.

• How to deal with power failure?
• What to do in case of a computer crash?
• Risks associated with new projects.

• How to handle automated machinery?
• How to implement safety regulations?
• Safety materials to use at workplace.
• Stress management.

Apart from these topics, there are various local and national emergency issues that can be discussed in the meetings which affect the employees indirectly.

It is important choose the most relevant safety topics for meetings so the employees look forward to attending the session. Proximity is an essential criteria in deciding the topic.

Once you finalize on ideas, it is important that you advertise about the event. Let your employees know about the time, venue, as well as topic of the meeting, so that they can plan accordingly.

Providing them with a topic in advance also helps you getting knowledgeable and interested participants. How you are planning to deliver the session is also very important, so that the audience gets the right message.

Try to use different mediums instead of only lecturing. PowerPoint presentations, documentaries, debates, role plays, etc., are some of the best ways to conduct these meetings.

One of the integral parts of safety meetings is demonstrations. So include as many practicals as possible and not only theory. A good presentation will help them retain the information for long, and demonstrations will help them understand what they are supposed to do.

Do not stuff in too much information in one meeting, and always summarize the main points at the end of the meeting. Once the session is over, note down the minutes properly that you can use for the future reference. This way you'll be able to execute your meeting ideas effectively and efficiently.

With the earlier information, you will surely be able to choose an appropriate topic for your meetings that would help your organization maintain workplace safety efficaciously.