A Canadian in the Signal Department of the Canadian National Railways.
A prime candidate for one of those unofficial ‘Hunter Indoctrination Camps’
Safety Walkabouts: New Pathway to a Safer Workplace
The goal is for everyone to work safely and go home without injury.
What’s a Safety Walkabout?
In a Safety Walkabout, we observe employees doing their jobs—not secretly, but telling
them what we are doing up front. We note people’s safety habits and compliance to rules
and procedures, engage them in discussions on safety, and promote an environment of
safety partnership. We give them feedback on what we see, and ask for their feedback. We
get them to talk about near-misses so we can address them. The whole idea is to open a
cooperative two-way discussion between those of us who manage work and those who
actually perform it, so we all work safer.
How does a Safety Walkabout
differ from an Efficiency Test or Safety Blitz?
An efficiency test is a structured process where employees are observed performing
specific activities. In an Efficiency Test, we sometimes observe employees without their
knowledge, watching for compliance with operating rules and procedures. We audit their
performance against standards (efficiency). It’s also called a PMRC (Performance
Monitoring Rule Compliance). Efficiency tests are required by Transport Canada and the
Federal Railroad Administration to ensure safety compliance. Efficiency tests ensure that
employees have a proper understanding and application of rules.
In a Safety Blitz, we go out often in groups to perform safety observations and efficiency
tests while monitoring as many employees as possible. Safety Blitzes will often focus on
specific rules or procedures to monitor and drive understanding and compl
“I think there trying to boost morale in this case.”
That may very be the case since even though it’s been the same circus for the last six years, there are new clowns. [:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)][:o)]
I think their efforts are commendable. I have personally intergrated a few of the same procedures into my own safety program in the past year, and have had very good results. Developing a healthy safety culture is often hard at first, but employee’s will eventually embrace them. Usually those with a “problematic attitude” are those who experience the pain or hardships that result from not thinking SAFETY FIRST!
“…and I wouldn’t want you working around me with THAT attitude.”
“Usually those with a “problematic attitude” are those who experience the pain or hardships that result from not thinking SAFETY FIRST!”
I’ve survived for over 35 years by trying to avoid anyone possessing the kind of attitude shown above. They’re the first to use safety as a reason to be downright lazy. They’re the ones always spouting off about safety, yet they’re the same ones that are always the first to rummage through the first aid kit for minor cuts and scratches they always seem to get. They talk safety but are the most accident prone individuals I’ve ever met. Some are so lazy that I usually have them do nothing as they are are a menace on the job. Very good at***kissing some safety supervisor or any supervisor for that matter who shows up and has absolutely no idea what the Signal Department is or does and doesn’t care to know. These lazy Safetycrats are the same ones that swear they’ll always follow the rules but as soon as the foreman and/or supervisor turn their backs they’re breaking the most simple rules left and right. When I report them to the foreman and/or supervisor, these miscreants will lie, lie, lie. Butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth. They are very adapt at avoiding work, are two faced, are cry babies, always bad mouthing one of the harder working gang members, act like children in kindergarten screaming, “I’m gonna tell, I’m gonna tell!”. I’ve survived 35+ years without missing a day because of an on the job injury. It’s been years since I’ve needed a first aid kit. I’ve gone years and not missed a day. And this is signal construction work. I still get down and dirty. I’ve worked in conditions that these wimps refused to work under. Not because it was unsafe. No it was because it was too hot, too cold, too wet, too muddy. They’d never admit to being just plain lazy. They are know everything, do nothing individuals that I try to instruct so that if and when they become management, t