How Can Safety Professionals Overcome Communication Barriers for Clearer Messages?

Effective communication is crucial in all areas, especially for safety professionals. It is important to overcome any barriers that may hinder communication.

Please find attached a clip that is self-explanatory. When communicating, ensure that the message is clear and understood correctly, unlike the example in the clip.

Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir

The Safety Pro should know the "Way of Saying NO" also. This is what is lacking in most of the Safety Pros in today's industry. They are doing the job that a line engineer/supervisor/manager is supposed to do, only to please them as they do not know the ways to say "NO," even after getting management support sometimes.

In most cases, even though a safety professional is good in communication, if the top management is not supportive, he can't do anything. He will be helpless and will be like a joker in a circus.

I slightly differ with your opinion. I am not a safety professional; safety is the passion with which I work. I always say in my training programs, "A minute lost is lost forever in the production department, but other departments can generate time for themselves."

I have worked mostly in production, and I know the pressures the line supervisors, engineers, and managers face. However, at times, I have demonstrated that working in a safe way increases productivity. Although late, my management has realized the efforts, and I am pursued for many of the processes and major decision-making.

I appeal to everyone not to be impatient. Stay on track, and things will fall in line.

Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir

Dear Sudhir and Dipil,

Yes, we need to know the "Way of Saying NO." It's very easy to say NO to our employees, but it's really very hard to give an explanation for 'NO.' In my safety team, we always prepare a suggestion prior to saying 'NO & STOP' with exact references so that they can't even ask 'why' to us.

As safety professionals, we need to explain to employees whenever we say 'NO or WRONG.' It must cover at least the below-mentioned points:

What the Law Says?

What the Manufacturer's Advice Was?

What Our Safety Plan Says?

Finally, Common Sense

Remember one thing: don't ever give others a chance to question you.

The Importance of Approach for Safety Professionals

The way of approach is very important, especially for safety professionals. I agree with Mr. Sudhir that production people face more pressures, and every second is accountable for them. However, "It is better to lose a minute in life than to lose life in a minute."

As safety professionals, we have to address unsafe behaviors in a motivational way. Mr. Dipil mentioned that management is solely compliance-minded and does not prioritize safety proactively. In such cases, professionals may be perceived as jokers in a circus by all.

Keep trying, even if things don't work out. If necessary, leave the responsibility and seek opportunities with the right organization.

Regards

The context in which I replied was regarding the actions to be taken when top management does not provide support. Safety professionals should adopt an approach of highlighting the issue along with probable solutions. As stated in management books, "don't come with problems, come with solutions." Mr. Raghu and Mr. Srinivasa have expressed the same sentiment, and I have demonstrated this approach myself. Now, after 8/9 years, my approach is recognized.

Stopping work is an authority given to safety personnel and should be used only in extreme situations.

Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir

Thank you, Raghu, SRM, and Sudhir, for your inputs to the threads. Communication is very important to safety professionals. The success of BBS itself depends a lot on effective communication. So far, good discussion. Keep up the same.

Regards