One question on our annual engagement survey is “Do you know what’s expected of you?”

At the top of everyone’s job expectations is the task of being safe and promoting safety every day, every moment you are working.

One key to “being” safe is intentional about safe behavior. You wear the safety equipment. You snap the seatbelt. You assure your area is free from tripping hazards. You wait for help rather than try to do too much while your work partners are disposed.

You lock out and tag out. You stay aware of pinch points. You keep your hands free from danger.

Bottom line, you pay attention. You are purposeful in switching your mind to safe practices. You do it all the time, every day.

But, safety extends beyond yourself.

You watch out for others, especially the new guys.

Many of our new guys don’t have manufacturing experience. We are teaching them how to work in a factory.

They don’t see the risks that are obvious to you. They have a surface understanding of what’s happening in their environment. Unfortunately, they can wander into unsafe situations in a heartbeat.

We have to watch them. We have to correct them, teach them the better way. We may need to pull them from disaster.

That’s part of the safety expectation. If you see something, we expect you to do all you can to stop it. It’s your job.

We’re ramping up our safety efforts. Though we are better than average, we are wondering if being better than the next guy is good enough. What do you think?

The expectation here is that you be safe and be a force for safety around you.