Recognize and Reward Your Workers Who Promote Safety

OSHA’s Safe + Sound Week is here! The goal of Safe + Sound Week is to encourage the introduction of more health and safety programs started while also re-energizing any existing programs that may be in place. Successful programs are crucial in proactively identifying and managing workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness, while simultaneously saving money and improving a company’s competitiveness. As promised, we will be posting ideas and example activities to help structure your very own Safe + Sound Week campaign that can be adapted to your specific office and workplace environment. These activities work to increase engagement and participation in your safety and health programs by getting managers and workers thinking about and discussing what safety on the job means to them.

Another strategy to invoke continued engagement is through employee recognition and reward. Workers contribute to keeping your workplace safe, so it is imperative to recognize their time and effort so that feel appreciated and continue their valuable involvement in upholding safety and health practices. There are many ways to acknowledge and reward employees for their hard work, but here are a few examples:

1. Host a celebration or ceremony to recognize individuals who made safety contributions 
2. Award certificates, personalized appreciation cards, or other types of recognition when workers participate in activities and trainings 
3. Award prizes as incentives to reach safety goals
4. Provide “on-the-spot” rewards when you see someone upholding your company’s safety principles
5. Create a “safety hall of fame” 
6. Create a safety employee of the week (or month) spotlight
7. Invite workers with active safety roles to have lunch with company leadership to discuss safety achievement and issues

To learn more about this activity and find other discussion examples and graphics to plan and promote the safety campaign in your workplace, visit the Safe + Sound Week website at: https://www.osha.gov/safeandsoundweek/plan-and-promote

DII is your partner in workplace health and safety. Our team of experts can work with you to understand how to plan activities for Safe + Sound Week and how to reach your workplace audience. Please contact your DII representative for more information.  #WorkplaceSafety #OSHA #Safe+SoundWeek