5 Tips for Building Safety into the Workday

Most workplace injuries don’t come from major mishaps. They stem from employees rushing routine tasks or disregarding procedures. You can’t eliminate these tasks, but supervisors can make safety part of the job. When awareness is built into daily routines, injuries drop and productivity continues.

Tip 1. Use A Simple Framework: SLAM

Teach staff to SLAM each task. It takes seconds and pays off all day.

• Stop: Pause before you start. Eliminate distractions and focus on the task to prevent rushing.
• Look: Scan the area for hazards like people in your path, equipment that needs maintenance, slick surfaces, severe weather, and limited visibility.
• Assess: Ask what could go wrong and whether you have what you need: correct tool, ladder height, personal protective equipment, help.
• Manage: Adjust the plan. Get a spotter, switch tools, use a cart, or stop and talk to your supervisor if you feel a task is unsafe.

Quick win: Pick one task for today. Have each employee call out one SLAM adjustment they’ll use on their next job.

Tip 2. Focus on Micro-Fixes

Task/Risk: Lifting/Stocking
Common miss: Twisting while carrying
Micro-fix: Keep load close, pivot with your feet, use team lift over 35 pounds

Task/Risk: Wet Floors
Common miss: Caution signs posted, but path still used
Micro-fix: Block the area, clean to dry, schedule for low-traffic times

Task/Risk: Ladders
Common miss: Using the top step
Micro-fix: Use the right ladder height, maintain three points of contact

Task/Risk: Extension Cords, Power Strips
Common miss: Trip hazards and overloading
Micro-fix: Route cords off walking paths, use cord covers, one strip per outlet (no daisy-chains). check amperage ratings

Quick win: Pick one high-risk task per month. Walk it with your team. Write the three biggest hazards and the three controls that matter most. Turn that into a one-page job aid posted where the task starts (custodial closet, shop door, loading dock).

Tip 3. Don't Overlook Near-Misses

A near-miss is a gift: You identified a gap without someone getting injured. Capture it, fix it, and share the lesson:

1. Give staff a quick, 30-second reporting option (QR code, link, or drop box).
2. Classify quickly (slip/trip, lift/strain, vehicle, behavior, equipment).
3. Fix simple hazards within 48 hours and close the loop with the reporting employee.
4. Share one “lesson of the week” in staff huddles.

Tip 4. Hold Supervisor Huddles

Start the day by taking about the risks employees encountered the previous day: weather, events, deliveries, staffing changes. From there, review one near-miss and one success. For example, maybe an employee caught someone using a spotter when climbing a ladder. That's the type of behavior you should recognize and encourage. Wrap up with each employee committing to one safe action for the day.

Tip 5. Make Metrics-Driven Decisions

Metrics set a performance baseline and shed light on where you're doing well and where you can improve. Here are a few sample metrics to start.

Metric: Injury report lag time
Target: less than 24 hours
Why it matters: Faster care and better claim outcomes

Metric: Near misses per month
Target: Upward trend first 90 days
Why it matters: Improved reporting culture

Metric: Injury report lag time
Target: less than 24 hours
Why it matters: Faster care and better claim outcomes

Metric: % of hazards fixed in less than 48 hours
Target: 80% minimum
Why it matters: Shows you act on reports

Metric: Return-to-work placement time
Target: Less than three days
Why it matters: Reduces lost time and costs

One-Page Tools to Post

• SLAM reminder
• Today’s hazards whiteboard
• Near-miss QR code
• Monthly JHA job aid

Design safety into how the work is done, not as extra steps. When awareness is built into routines, people remain safe, and operations stay on schedule.