Safety Meetings

Most people in the trades dread the weekly safety meeting and I kind of get it. It can be a bit dry, there’s not usually a lot of excitement and in my experience there’s always the one worker who asks the same questions, has the most ridiculous complaints and dominates every single meeting. On the other hand, you have the workers who love safety meetings… treating them as extended breaks, taking naps, finishing their snacks or maybe on the phone? If you fall into one of these categories, you need to stop and remember why you are all there. These sites can be huge, it’s good to get caught up on what’s going on in your work area, what new hazards to look out for and other important information that could affect you and your crew. These meetings can also tell you about incidence that may have taken place and what to do to avoid the same thing. It’s also a great time for you to get involved if you have a legitimate safety concern. This is not the time to complain that the vending machine took your toonie without dropping your chips to you. I know there’s no marching band and fireworks to entertain you but you should be thankful that you are being involved in such meetings. Many places in the world don’t offer safety meetings to their workers…  think about that. You are being paid to sit and discuss how to make your job safer! Maybe not entertaining but it sure is impressive. So try and keep an open mind and pay attention in your meetings.