Safety Meetings with a mixed crowd

[Christy@GEC]

Due to how our cooperative is set up I cannot have just lineman or just office personnel in a safety meeting at one time. So I am desperate to figure out how to meet everyone's needs. Linemen do not want to hear about office safety and visa versa.

Any of the linemen here have a mixed group of employees during safety meetings? If yes, how does your safety director work this out?

Thank you

[19jarhead91]

Christy, if you look at the "Material needed" thread it has some very good comments. It should help a little.

[reppy007]

Due to how our cooperative is set up I cannot have just lineman or just office personnel in a safety meeting at one time. So I am desperate to figure out how to meet everyone's needs. Linemen do not want to hear about office safety and visa versa.

Any of the linemen here have a mixed group of employees during safety meetings? If yes, how does your safety director work this out?

Thank you

I would try getting an office person to volunteer to give office meetings,or getting a lineman to volunteer to do the lineman meetings,good luck on that one,if not i may volunteer,,,,,,,,,,I kinda know how you feel,we have done that with some of our meetings with a large utility,have to watch your mouth at times....................get this,,,,,,,while in Flordia with some contractor we actually had 2 back to back safety meetings,,,,,,,,first one was in english,which took at least 1 hr.,,,,,,,,,,,second one was in spanish,,,,,,,,,,,for the cubans,one cuban would relate what was said in the first meeting to the others in the second meeting...........it could be interesting at times,listening to them cuss in spanish,and it was a pretty good break..........talk about production,actually the cubans were good workers,their train of mind was we will get it done,then we sleep the rest of the day......................that didnt work too well with the boss,you know the routine,the more you do ,the more they want...............those dam cubans

[bobbo]

What do you tell the secretaries? Dont run with scissors.

[topgroove]

What do you tell the secretaries? Dont run with scissors.

Hey believe it or not the office can be a very dangerous enviorment...
check out this tragic accident.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifjx-...layer_embedded

[duckhunter]

Due to how our cooperative is set up I cannot have just lineman or just office personnel in a safety meeting at one time. So I am desperate to figure out how to meet everyone's needs. Linemen do not want to hear about office safety and visa versa.

Any of the linemen here have a mixed group of employees during safety meetings? If yes, how does your safety director work this out?

Thank you

There are many annual required topics that you can cover with both groups. Bloodborne Pathogens, First Aid, CPR, Haz Com, Fire Extinguisher Safety, Safe Winter Driving, etc. Depending on how long the meetings are, cover the topics that apply to all then just explain that the rest of the material is more geared toward field personnel. If they stay, it never hurts to have others shown the safety issues that we face. It can give your Member Service people confidence in talking with the members on the phone.

[reppy007]

Hey believe it or not the office can be a very dangerous enviorment...
check out this tragic accident.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifjx-...layer_embedded

Yes ,I was in one of those mixed meetings when a supervisor pointed out the office guy that happened to get hurt while washing his hands...............................I wont say what the linemans reactions were.............................but what would your reaction be,,somehow he slipped while washing his hands.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,even had a jy that had many years of experience,we worked all night,,,,,,the next morning i gave his vehicle a jump,,,,lets just say he built a fire while hooking up jumper cables....................glad it wasnt 3 or 4 wire.

[Highplains Drifter]

I always think it is really great to have the office folks at our safety meetings. Most of them are job scared and it helps us easier to get them organized. One would not believe how many are afraid to report a paper cut in order to seek medical attention. Yes a paper cut can get infected, but employers do not like lost time accidents.

[Christy@GEC]

I would try getting an office person to volunteer to give office meetings,or getting a lineman to volunteer to do the lineman meetings,good luck on that one,if not i may volunteer,,,,,,,,,,I kinda know how you feel,we have done that with some of our meetings with a large utility,have to watch your mouth at times....................get this,,,,,,,while in Flordia with some contractor we actually had 2 back to back safety meetings,,,,,,,,first one was in english,which took at least 1 hr.,,,,,,,,,,,second one was in spanish,,,,,,,,,,,for the cubans,one cuban would relate what was said in the first meeting to the others in the second meeting...........it could be interesting at times,listening to them cuss in spanish,and it was a pretty good break..........talk about production,actually the cubans were good workers,their train of mind was we will get it done,then we sleep the rest of the day......................that didnt work too well with the boss,you know the routine,the more you do ,the more they want...............those dam cubans

"Volunteer"... I actually laughed at that one.

[Christy@GEC]

There are many annual required topics that you can cover with both groups. Bloodborne Pathogens, First Aid, CPR, Haz Com, Fire Extinguisher Safety, Safe Winter Driving, etc. Depending on how long the meetings are, cover the topics that apply to all then just explain that the rest of the material is more geared toward field personnel. If they stay, it never hurts to have others shown the safety issues that we face. It can give your Member Service people confidence in talking with the members on the phone.

Due to our meetings being video taped; I cant excuse anyone until the meeting is over. But if there is something I want to discuss with just linecrew (off the video) I will ask everyone else to leave and then we talk without any office personnel or supervisors. Our safety meetings are slowly evolving to be more open to topics not always covered (like sleep deprivation, illness, human interaction) so its not so rigid and safety only.