PROGRAM PROPOSAL

Incident Reporting: Speak Up!

Duration: 4 weeks

Concept: Focus on a different type of incident reporting each week.

Week 1: Introduction and initial activities

Involving top management is the key to a successful campaign. The top management should introduce the topic to the workforce and actively discuss it in management team meetings. 

  • Print all posters and set them up strategically on site (e.g. in various workshops).
  • Conduct the introductory toolbox to discuss the differences between safety observations, near misses, accidents and the reporting methods on-site. 
  • Use recent incidents as examples. Explain what could have gone differently by reporting dangerous situations and near misses “on-time”.
  • Identify the follow-up actions that were taken in relation to each incident. 

 

Activities:

1. Conduct an activity with both office and production personnel to determine how they would prefer to report near misses and safety observations. See example in the Tips and Tricks proposal.

2. Recognition/Reward: Ask workers if they would like to be recognized for proactive reporting habits. 

If so, consider proposing the most feasible options and ask them to choose which they would appreciate best. Implement 1-2 of the most popular responses.

Week 2: Safety Observations

Focus on the identification and reporting of safety observations, during this week. 

  • Schedule meetings/toolboxes with office and production personnel (separately) to discuss the chosen reporting methods and which methods will be implemented and why. Ensure to clearly explain what is expected of the workforce and how to use the official channels when reporting safety observations.
  • Ensure that a method is in place to provide feedback to all the reported safety observations/incidents (see incident reporting bulletin).
  • Print new posters or change the location of the current posters (this will stimulate the eye and draw attention to those passing by). 

Activity: Safety Tours

Example:

  1. Organize daily safety tours with members of the management team (in both the office and production environments). During the tours, try to identify hazardous situations.
  2. Discuss the dangers of the hazardous situations with workers that are involved or nearby. Be sure to stress the reporting of situations, even in cases where the hazards/risks can be immediately mitigated. As such hazards can be present on other parts of the yard, reporting is still important to avoid them escalating to incidents.

Week 3: Near Misses

Focus on the identification and reporting of near misses this week.

  • Schedule meetings/toolboxes with office and production personnel (separately) to discuss the chosen reporting methods and which methods will be implemented and why. Ensure to clearly explain what is expected of the workforce and how to use these official channels when reporting near misses.
  • If you have decided to prepare and distribute notebooks for production, with near miss reporting forms at the back, distribute them after the toolbox session(s). 

Activity: Simulation

Simulate a near miss situation to stimulate the workforce. Also practice near miss reporting via the correct channels. 

Example:

Simulate an oil spill on the dock that almost enters the water.

  1. Position an empty oil drum collapsed on the dock.
  2. Add black water-based paint (children’s paint) flowing from the drum , almost into the water (add vegetable oil to achieve a shiny/oily look).
  3. See how long it takes for the spill to be reported and cleaned up.

Debrief: After the exercise, discuss the outcome with the workforce. Ensure to cover aspects such as: length of time taken to report and worse case scenarios (potential impact). Use this opportunity to stress the importance of reporting near misses immediately. 

Week 4: Accidents and Close-out

Focus on enforcing the importance of immediately reporting all accidents, via the internal emergency number and ensure that the emergency number is known to all.

Activity: Simulation

Stage an accident on-site to test the response of the workforce.

Example:

  1. Stage a collision between a pedestrian and vehicles on-site.
  2. See how long it takes for the internal emergency number to be called.
  3. Ensure to bring the internal emergency services on-board with the simulation. 
  4. Once reported, have the emergency team respond as if it were a real accident. 

Debrief: When the simulation is complete, discuss key factors with the workforce such as: time taken to report the incident, how individuals felt seeing a colleague involved in such an incident and what lessons have been learned from the experience. 

Closeout

  • Schedule a general re-cap session with the workforce to discuss lessons learnt throughout the campaign. Ensure to drive the “take home message”: Report all incidents, immediately!
  • Distribute the campaign feedback form. link
  • Optional: Provide workers with small package as a show of appreciation for their participation. 

Top management should be present for the closeout, to drive home the message and repeat the need for a proactive reporting. 

GOOD LUCK!

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Near miss campaign, teaser

Incident Reporting Campaign

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