10 Tips for Building a Stronger Safety Committee

1. Involve others at all levels of your company. Ensure your safety committee represents the mix of your organization’s labor force and management.
2. Look for enthusiastic volunteers as well as former “Safety Champions.” That enthusiasm can be invaluable when you get going, and those with experience can help guide.
3. Develop a basic curriculum and Safety Manual. Be prepared to provide resources, coaching, support and other help that workers may need.
4. Set some achievable goals to get a powerful start. Achieving some immediate accomplishments in pushing safety forward can provide some powerful and lasting momentum.
5. Plan meetings ahead of time. Besides showing respect to the committee, developing and sharing a meeting agenda and goals a few days in advance can help the committee keep organized and on track.
6. Generate an atmosphere of respect and trust. Workers need to know they can come to you about any issue.
7. Set term limits for committee members. Avoid “burnout” and try to keep consistent member investment and energy.
8. Don’t be boring. Safety meetings often have a reputation for being boring, especially if they are conducted the same way every time. Try mixing up the format between presentations, video, and maybe even a guest speaker. If you are looking for ideas see next tip!
9. See what others are doing. A quick search on the internet or networking with other industries can give you a lot of great ideas for your safety meetings as well as help you see your own from a different perspective.
10. Give recognition and rewards often and consistently. Rewards and recognition can generate better mindfulness than a constant stream of “Do this. Don’t do that.”

6 Myth-Busters for the New Distracted Driving Law

1. You are allowed to call 911 in an emergency situation.
2. A primary offense is whenever a trooper observes drivers making contact with their phone other than the one touch/swipe. This is what troopers will be mainly focused on. Primary offenses will now be reported to your insurance companies.
3. Food, drinks, grooming, and smoking. All of these things are secondary violations/observations. It is pretty common to eat, drink, smoke, or do any other number of activities while driving. These activities are allowed as long as they do not interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle. If the driver does commit another traffic offense and is dangerously distracted, then they are subject to another $99 fine.
4. GPS and music. A good rule to follow, start both of these things before anything else. Drivers are allowed one touch/swipe as long as your device is connected to Bluetooth.
5. Authorized emergency personnel, including troopers, are exempt from this law. Uber, Lyft, and other ride share services are not (Meaning, they also must abide by the one touch/swipe rule).
6. CDL holders will still operate according to Federal Motor Carrier Regulations (The CDL will be disqualified after two or more convictions of any state law on hand-held mobile telephone use while operating a CMV).

Please refer to wadrivetozero.com for additional resources and information.

Contributed by Stephanie Dyck, Director of Operations