--- title: Kevin Burns Blog | safety complacency (4) description: safety complacency | Tools and strategies to build supervisor leadership, clarify the safety message, and get employee buy-in. (4) --- Kevin Burns Blog | safety complacency (4) [![KevBurns Learning: We teach industrial supervisors how to be really great leaders.](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kev-Burns-Learning-white.png?width=240&height=118&name=Kev-Burns-Learning-white.png "KevBurns Learning: We teach industrial supervisors how to be really great leaders.")](https://www.kevburns.com/) - [About](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) - [Supervisor Academy](https://www.kevburns.com/supervisors) - [7 Reasons to Not Work With Us](https://www.kevburns.com/7-reasons-not-to-work-with-us) - [52 Benefits of Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/52-benefits) - [Hope Calculator](https://www.kevburns.com/calculator) - [Issues](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [People](https://www.kevburns.com/people-issues) - [Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [Escalations](https://www.kevburns.com/escalation-issues) - [Resources](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Books](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Newsletter](https://www.kevburns.com/newsletter) - [Downloads](https://www.kevburns.com/downloads) - [Case Study NBU](https://www.kevburns.com/nbu-case-study) - [Case Study WCC](https://www.kevburns.com/wcc-case-study-2026) - [ROI Videos](https://www.kevburns.com/videos) - [Speaking](https://www.kevburns.com/speaking) - [Media/Podcast](https://www.kevburns.com/media) - [Blog](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) - [Contact](https://www.kevburns.com/contact-us) - [About](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) - [Supervisor Academy](https://www.kevburns.com/supervisors) - [7 Reasons to Not Work With Us](https://www.kevburns.com/7-reasons-not-to-work-with-us) - [52 Benefits of Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/52-benefits) - [Hope Calculator](https://www.kevburns.com/calculator) - [Issues](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [People](https://www.kevburns.com/people-issues) - [Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [Escalations](https://www.kevburns.com/escalation-issues) - [Resources](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Books](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Newsletter](https://www.kevburns.com/newsletter) - [Downloads](https://www.kevburns.com/downloads) - [Case Study NBU](https://www.kevburns.com/nbu-case-study) - [Case Study WCC](https://www.kevburns.com/wcc-case-study-2026) - [ROI Videos](https://www.kevburns.com/videos) - [Speaking](https://www.kevburns.com/speaking) - [Media/Podcast](https://www.kevburns.com/media) - [Blog](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) - [Contact](https://www.kevburns.com/contact-us) # Kevin Burns Blog #### Leadership for frontline industrial supervisors. 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[supervisor loneliness (1)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/supervisor-loneliness) - [supervisor warning signs (1)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/supervisor-warning-signs) - [taking control of safety meetings (1)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/taking-control-of-safety-meetings) - [truly human leadership (1)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/truly-human-leadership) - [turnover and safety (1)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/turnover-and-safety) - [unplanned costs (1)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/unplanned-costs) - [workplace stress (1)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/workplace-stress) - [workplace wellness (1)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/workplace-wellness) - [world-class safety program (1)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/world-class-safety-program) See all ## [When Employees Don't Give You Safety Performance](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/when-employees-dont-give-you-safety-performance) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on December 5, 2018 [![thumb 4](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-4.jpg?width=900&name=thumb-4.jpg)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/when-employees-dont-give-you-safety-performance) If they’re not giving you safety, it’s because you’re not giving them what they want. To paraphrase a quote, the secret to getting what you want is to help enough other people get what they want. Zig Ziglar said that. He wasn’t wrong. Help enough other people get a win for themselves and they are more likely to help you get your win. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/when-employees-dont-give-you-safety-performance) ## [3 Strategies to Improve Your Safety Program](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/3-strategies-to-improve-your-safety-program) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on November 21, 2018 [![thumb 3](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-3.jpg?width=900&name=thumb-3.jpg)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/3-strategies-to-improve-your-safety-program) Effective workplaces are those places where employees feel valued, cared for and protected. Without getting into long descriptions, good workplace safety culture is the result of attitudes and personal and corporate values aligning. If apathy in the workplace exists, little care will be given to safety. When the quality of the work is “good enough,” apathy in safety exists. If employees think it's a lousy place to work, then safety will take a back seat. Poor safety attitudes will impede becoming a top performer. That reflects in both safety and financial performance. A broken safety culture will have an impact on overall corporate performance. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/3-strategies-to-improve-your-safety-program) ## [To Shift Safety, Shift Perspective.](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/to-shift-safety-shift-perspective) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on November 14, 2018 [![thumb 2](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-2.jpg?width=900&name=thumb-2.jpg)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/to-shift-safety-shift-perspective) Your job isn’t to enforce the rules as much as it is to build your team’s performance within the rules. Top down. That’s how your safety program has probably always been handled. Everything rolls down from the front-office to the front-line. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/to-shift-safety-shift-perspective) ## [Stop manipulating. Start inspiring safety.](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/stop-manipulating.-start-inspiring-safety) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on November 7, 2018 [![thumb 1](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-1.jpg?width=900&name=thumb-1.jpg)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/stop-manipulating.-start-inspiring-safety) What if instead of guilt and fear and manipulation tactics, you simply cared? When you really think about it, there are only two main ways to get people to join in your safety program and for them to buy-in to the idea of safety: you can either manipulate or inspire. Either you pull on the heartstrings to try to guilt them into following rules, or you help them flip that internal switch that kicks-in their motivation and fires up their personal leadership capacity. Before you decide, know this: manipulation does not create leaders. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/stop-manipulating.-start-inspiring-safety) ## [3 Strategies To Be A Better Safety Coach](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/3-strategies-to-be-a-better-safety-coach) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on October 24, 2018 [![thumb 20](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-20.png?width=900&name=thumb-20.png)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/3-strategies-to-be-a-better-safety-coach) Don’t waste your one-on-one time with your people enforcing rules. I’ll let you in on a little secret. When employees buy-in to safety, you don’t need to police them anymore. Where you once spent a great deal of time on enforcement, you can now replace with coaching and mentoring. Trust me when I say, coaching and mentoring is infinitely more satisfying. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/3-strategies-to-be-a-better-safety-coach) ## [Stop Dumb Safety Goal-Setting](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/stop-dumb-safety-goal-setting) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on October 1, 2024 [![thumb 19](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-19.png?width=900&name=thumb-19.png)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/stop-dumb-safety-goal-setting) Focus on the plan to improve the things you're not already doing. Not the goal. Once upon a time, in the mid-90’s, I was working in a sales job. At the start of each month, our sales manager would assemble all the sales reps in a room and ask each of us for our specific sales goal for the month. He wasn't asking us what our plan was to make more sales. He was asking for a number. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/stop-dumb-safety-goal-setting) ## ["Safety-First" Is Not The Priority Anymore](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/safety-first-is-not-the-priority) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on October 1, 2024 [![thumb 18](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-18.png?width=900&name=thumb-18.png)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/safety-first-is-not-the-priority) What if your "one thing" was to make a difference? There are no such things as priorities. You can have a priority; one. But you can’t have more than one priority. Besides, it’s not a priority if it competes for attention with other priorities. You can have a lot of things that are important, or urgent or critical. But there is room for only one priority. It is that one priority that you can build a company, an ideal or a movement around. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/safety-first-is-not-the-priority) ## [Once You Have A Safety System ... Now What?](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/once-you-have-a-safety-system-...-now-what) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on October 1, 2024 [![thumb 16](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-16.png?width=900&name=thumb-16.png)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/once-you-have-a-safety-system-...-now-what) A safety system by itself doesn't make the organization any safer. Driving instructors have a system for teaching people to drive. Sports coaches have a system for improving player performance. Almost everything in this world has a system. There’s even a system for generating your paycheck. But, the system doesn't pay out unless someone tells it to. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/once-you-have-a-safety-system-...-now-what) ## [Do This One Thing to Make People Care About Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/do-this-one-thing-to-make-people-care-about-safety) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on October 1, 2024 [![thumb 14](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-14.png?width=900&name=thumb-14.png)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/do-this-one-thing-to-make-people-care-about-safety) If you want people to care about safety, you have to first care about them. I was working with a group of minesite supervisors and we were discussing the needs of employees and how a supervisor can make sure that employee needs were being met. I asked this question: how can you show your employees that, as supervisors, you care? Here are some of the responses: Give good communication Improve your listening skills Be respectful of their needs Demonstrate persistence Engage them in problem-solving Recognize employees for their good work Take a time-out with employees Help employees to re-focus Show support for your people especially when they need it. All good answers. In fact, a lot of necessary answers. But the answer that wasn’t mentioned was, perhaps, too obvious. It is the one thing that supervisors, managers, safety people, executives, and even fellow workers must do to show their fellow employees that they care. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/do-this-one-thing-to-make-people-care-about-safety) ## [3 Ways to Make Safety Meetings Matter](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/3-ways-to-make-safety-meetings-matter) Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on October 1, 2024 [![thumb 13](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/thumb-13.png?width=900&name=thumb-13.png)](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/3-ways-to-make-safety-meetings-matter) Are you meeting the needs of your people in safety meetings? How many times have you seen presenters, with 10 minutes of solid information, stretch it into a 90-minute presentation? How does that happen? Here’s how. The person organizing the safety meeting is trying to fill blocks of time instead of developing content that will make a difference to their people. [Read More](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/3-ways-to-make-safety-meetings-matter) [Previous](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/safety-complacency/page/3) [All posts](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/all) [Next](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/safety-complacency/page/5) ### Subscribe to Kevin's Blog Get insights and strategies to build the leadership skills employees want their supervisors to have! Subscribe now. --- Kevin Burns' newest book, **The CareFull Supervisor**. This is the book that every frontline supervisor should read.   ![carefull-supervisor-3d-covers-400-1](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/carefull-supervisor-3d-covers-400-1.png?width=253&height=253&name=carefull-supervisor-3d-covers-400-1.png)   **BUY NOW:** [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/CareFull-Supervisor-Tools-Succeed-Employees/dp/1039197256)| [B&N](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-carefull-supervisor-kevin-burns/1144577942) | [Indigo](https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-carefull-supervisor-the-tools-to-succeed-and-be-the-supervisor-employees-want-to-have/9781039197268.html)| [FreisenPress](https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000383321344)| [Kobo](https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-carefull-supervisor)| Audible --- ### Recent Posts - [About](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) - [Supervisor Academy](https://www.kevburns.com/supervisors) - [Blog](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) #### © 2026 PeopleWork Align Inc. 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