While Omicron set all of us back further than we had hoped for in Q4 last year, many economic forecasts are calling for a more hopeful year ahead in 2022. With the announcement by the Ontario government calling for reopening by March-end, and public health messaging shifting to ‘learning to live with COVID’, it’s looking as though many businesses stand to make positive momentum in Q2.
With the knowledge that a busier time is ahead, high-risk businesses in construction, utility and roofing industries should consider fortifying their safety program now, before the schedule is full of other commitments.
The 3 must-have activities for your safety program should prepare the business for the transition
For many businesses, this will mean returning to safety program building 101: Baselining worker skills with an emphasis on training, creating regular feedback opportunities for workers and re-evaluating risks, including COVID. Now that COVID protocols have become a part of everyday business, it’s time to review the effectiveness of the resources we’ve dedicated to managing this risk. There are numerous, other high risks that might not have received the same level of concern or effort by the business at large – now is the time to review risk assessments again and to consider whether these could do with the same level of attention.
Our roles have become more valuable to business operations and safety is top of mind for all levels of the workforce. It’s time for safety professionals to build on the momentum we’ve built over the past two years and use our learnings to better manage the other risks in our portfolio.
1 / Training: Build a strong foundation across the business with refresher training
A lot of people that haven’t been in a work environment regularly for the past few years… or, they have, and they are now used to working a lot differently than pre-pandemic. Your workforce might also consist of a group of people that were hired during the pandemic and have no experiences comparable to what your business might have been like in pre-pandemic times.
In many ways, you’re managing two different groups altogether. With most of the workforce trained and aware of COVID protocols and risks, it’s time to consider how to unify these groups to ensure they’re in agreement with the risks, protocols and understanding of expectations in the field.
This could look like a re-orientation. Reviewing emergency plans, stepping up efforts for day-to-day maintenance again (which may include testing alarm systems), and conducting evacuation drills early on. Begin talking about workplace violence and harassment programs again. There are many examples of safety activities that many workers haven’t been involved in as much over the past few years.
2 / Check in consistently with workers and use their feedback for improvements
The way people think about safety and how they work has changed considerably from how it did two years ago. In addition to this, the importance of worker health – particularly mental health – is front of mind and workplaces are expected to reflect this new reality in their EHS programs.
Safeguarding your biggest asset – your people – involves staying informed about their experiences and listening regularly to their feedback. The goal is an environment that allows for open discussion between all levels of business contributing to a safer work program.
One of the ways to create an environment for open discussion is through a schedule of regular, formal or informal check-ins. This can look like standardized questions delivered through a survey at key moments throughout the year, which can then be supplemented by the informal discussions you’re (hopefully) having now.
While not one of the more exciting elements to add to a full schedule of safety activities – it will soon become the norm for businesses that are committed to improving and retaining staff. Surveys can help us to understand attitudes across the workforce, understand how the workplace influences mental health and identify (and respond to) concerns.
3 / Review safety priorities by dusting off your risk assessments
I’ve worked with multiple clients throughout the pandemic, each one with a different attitude and approach towards COVID than the last. The reality is that we understand the risk to a greater degree, testing and PPE are more accessible, and there are new treatment options coming online regularly. Despite all this, COVID continues to take most of our attention – put some of that attention to high risks in your workplace (for some that might be COVID, but for most of us it will be working at height, confined space, traffic control, hoisting/rigging, etc.).
As we integrate the new reality that we find ourselves in two years later, it’s time to review risk assessments across the board and adapt these documents accordingly. In 2022 COVID will certainly continue to be a part of our overall risk profile, much like workplace violence and harassment: the risk has a high awareness across the workforce, is (arguably) better understood in how it presents as a risk and requires consistent, ongoing maintenance/communication.
Conclusion
As businesses transition out of the pandemic, we can leverage the momentum we’ve earned from developing COVID safety programs to continue keeping workers safe across all operations. Now is the time to refocus safety resources with refresher training, encouraging ongoing feedback from workers and a comprehensive review of risk assessments.
We’re not out of this yet, and there are still many more pandemic recovery milestones ahead before this is all behind us. Begin 2022 with a long-term view for success by resetting your safety program with these three important activities.
How is your organization approaching safety in 2022? Are there any priorities that you could add to this list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
