Why Safety Conferences Are Awesome And Safety Meetings Are Not

Like conferences, safety meetings should inspire people to want to be safe in future - not scold them for not being safe in the past.

safety conference awesome safety meetings suck

I have received several notices this week of upcoming safety conferences across North America. In fact, I am proud to be speaking at a couple of them: Workplace Safety North and Safety Services Nova Scotia.

Safety professionals look forward to learning, networking, and the excitement of safety conferences. I don’t think I am understating the excitement of a safety conference.

Safety people enter the big meeting halls armed with notebooks and pockets full of pens. Some even fire up their laptops to trap as much of the learning as they can stuff inside their brains. Attendees at safety conferences will not squander the opportunity to stimulate their brains. They will listen, learn, understand and improve.

At safety conferences, attendees immerse themselves into interesting discussions. They talk about new safety trends, ideas and strategies to improve safety programs. And that is good. The problem is, after the event, they return home to conduct the same boring safety meetings they always have.

Next year, they will do it again. They will look forward to another engaging safety conference. Then, again, they'll return home to run the same boring safety meetings they always have.

Here are three key reasons why safety conferences are engaging and safety meetings are not:

1Safety conferences are not organized by safety people. I’m not sure that any more needs saying. But, I will expand. Meeting planners with organizational skills put together safety conferences. They oversee content, learning, networking, lunches/snacks, entertainment, engagement and scheduling. That’s why you know who is going to be presenting at a Fall conference by the early spring: because they plan ahead. Then they advertise and market the event as a "must attend" event. But, safety meetings and stand-downs are, in some cases, thrown-together in as little as ten days out. It’s not unusual for me to get a phone call from a company safety manager hoping I’m available to speak in two weeks - in another country. Yeah, that’s not going to happen.

Strategy: People with project management or meeting planning experience should organize your safety meetings. Safety people, feel free to provide input on content. But leave the organization of the meeting to someone who doesn’t have to drop it whenever there’s a safety fire to put out.

2There is an expectation that you are going to learn something valuable. Attendees carry writing materials into meeting rooms of safety conferences. They attend with an expectation to learn. How many of your people arm themselves with pen and paper to attend one of your safety meetings? None I’ll bet (other than front-office people who are just used to bringing paper and pen to a meeting). Build an agenda and circulate it. Build an expectation of value in the safety meeting. Build an expectation that there is something worth remembering. Set up tables and chairs with paper and pens at each chair. Build an expectation to engage. Create some discussion involving your attendees’ input. Build an expectation to participate.

Strategy: Set your room like a meeting space. Tables and chair with pens and paper at each chair. From time to time, say this during the meeting: “now please write this down.” They will.

3Presenters discuss things that change lives. That’s why you attend safety conferences. You wouldn’t attend if the conference only covered inspection reports, near-misses and procedure reviews. You’d find that a solid waste of your time. So, are you getting it now? At safety meetings, start discussing things that change lives; that inspire and engage. Stop looking backward. Start looking forward. Spend less time on what has already happened. Spend more time on how to make the safety program better. Sure, tracking information is important to the safety program. But, it’s not the stuff that makes people want to attend a safety meeting. Nor, does it inspire people to buy-in to the safety program. And don’t talk about injury at a safety meeting. Injury has nothing to do with safety. Safety meetings should inspire people to want to be safe in future. It should not scold them for not being safe in the past. Look forward.

the perfect safety meeting ebook

Strategy: Here are five ideas to get you started in building inspiring safety meetings that are memorable.

If you still want more help with your safety meetings, download my free e-book, The Perfect Safety Meeting. Then, read it cover to cover. Or, call me to talk about your issue.

Kevin Burns is a management consultant, safety speaker and author of "The Perfect Safety Meeting." He delivers engaging and entertaining keynote safety presentations for everyone: from front-line staff to senior management. He helps people see the light when it comes to buying-in to the safety program.

Topics: safety leadership, safety meeting, selling safety