Kevin Burns Blog

A Coffee Break To Becoming A More Effective Safety Leader

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

Small, incremental improvements to the safety program are not as noticeable and do not expose employees to undue stress. Every job has its ups and downs. Employees can feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of responsibility and workload. Then add in paperwork, Job Hazard Assessments, new OH&S guidelines, new reporting as part of the corporate re-focus on safety and you have a workforce that can feel stressed. Responsibility can be demanding. But taking a coffee break of fifteen minutes per day to self-improve can reduce stress and feelings of being overwhelmed.

3 Reasons The World Needs More Canada In Safety

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

When you remove worry and uncertainty from your work site, people are more likely to make decisions that are in alignment with their own health and safety. This week is the annual birthday celebrations of both Canada and the USA: Canada on July 1 and the USA on July 4. Both days are celebrated as national holidays in their respective countries - however Canada has a much lower concentration of backyard fireworks displays (probably because "the rocket's red glare" isn't in the Canadian anthem).

3 Strategies For Safety Leadership Now

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

Safety leadership is just like regular leadership - only these ones buy-in to safety as a personal value. There is a difference between simple safety compliance and becoming an active safety leader. As I’ve mentioned in the past, leadership in safety has nothing to do with management. You don’t have to be in management to be a safety leader, mentor or influencer. All that is required is a commitment to wanting to embrace safety as a personal value and to be willing to not allow the shortcuts, risky behaviors or condemnation of safety of others to influence your choices.

Are You Responsible For Your Own Safety?

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

Every safety-whiner points the finger at the company to be responsible. Personal accountability goes missing when it’s whine-time on the safety job. So, are you responsible for your own safety? It would seem elementary. But the safety whiners, the one’s who think that the whole idea of safety is just big pain in the ass, don’t get that. They expect that the company will supply them with their eye protection, hearing protection, gloves and will pony up cash for other parts of the required and mandated safety equipment. And just like a rental car, they treat the company-purchased safety protection in the same way.

5 Reasons To Choose Personal Leadership In Safety

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

Personal leaders in safety are those who lead themselves in their own lives and make decisions that are best for themselves and those around them. When consulting with companies to help them improve their safety meetings, I routinely meet with safety managers, supervisors and foremen in a round-table discussions. In these round-tables, I get a better understanding of staff participation levels, identify what is working well and what is not and establish safety culture baselines.

From Safety Grunts To Leaders

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

Leadership is not forced or thrust upon anyone. It’s voluntary. That’s why there are few safety leaders and many followers. Personal Development! It’s all you need to go from grunt to leader. Of course, you have to actually buy-in to what you learn and you have to want to be better, and you have to discipline yourself to improve every day. But it can be done. People do it it all the time.

Are You A Safety Fan, Safety Participant Or Safety Spectator?

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

There are many spectators at safety meetings but very few fans - and even fewer safety participants. On a trip to Minneapolis, Minnesota last week, I attended a major league baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and the Seattle Mariners at Target Field - perhaps the most impressive ball park in North America. It was the ball game that made me think about the different levels of safety attitude and participation.

Why Safety Leadership Rocks

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

As a safety leader, more doors open, more options are available and the longer you are likely to live. My recent Blog post, Safety Cop Or Safety Leader got a lot of traffic and created much discussion. Some safety professionals found themselves inadvertently standing on the wrong side of the conversation. But, as Dr. Phil says, you can’t fix what you don’t acknowledge.

Safety Cop Or Safety Leader

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

Here are 11 differences between a safety cop and a safety leader. See where you fit. In my safety keynote presentations, I explain the differences between safety and OH&S; leadership and management; service and customer service. Safety, leadership and service are all attitudes. OH&S is a program, management is a position and customer service is a department.

Why Safety Rules Are Not Most Important

Posted by Kevin Burns on October 1, 2024

Cops enforce the rules. Coaches work on technique and inspire a burning desire to win. Which of these three was your last safety meeting about: the rules, technique or a desire to win?

Leadership for frontline industrial supervisors.

A Coffee Break To Becoming A More Effective Safety Leader

3 Reasons The World Needs More Canada In Safety

3 Strategies For Safety Leadership Now

Are You Responsible For Your Own Safety?

5 Reasons To Choose Personal Leadership In Safety

From Safety Grunts To Leaders

Are You A Safety Fan, Safety Participant Or Safety Spectator?

Why Safety Leadership Rocks

Safety Cop Or Safety Leader

Why Safety Rules Are Not Most Important

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