How to Conduct Safety Meetings

Safety meetings contain important information on equipment safety, general workplace safety, dealing with violence and harassment in the workplace, and how every employee can contribute to company safety. An efficient safety meeting is the best way to get information to all employees. There are steps a manager needs to follow to conduct a safety meeting that will encourage employees to take responsibility for workplace conduct and safety.

Step 1

Circulate the agenda to the upcoming safety meeting at least a week before the meeting. Encourage meeting attendees to review the material in the agenda and come prepared with questions.

Step 2

Ensure that the materials for the meeting are in place and that the meeting starts on time. It can be frustrating to busy employees and managers to have to wait for a safety meeting to start. Include in the memo announcing the meeting that it will start on time.

Step 3

Outline the safety topic to be covered at the beginning of the meeting, and include any visual presentation material in the meeting package when the meeting starts. It can be easier for attendees to comprehend the material if it is accompanied by a companion presentation of graphics and pertinent information.

Step 4

Use the equipment being discussed in a hands‐on demonstration of the safety techniques. Allow each attendee to use the equipment and become familiar with the techniques being taught. If the safety topic is about a large piece of equipment or a particular part of the manufacturing facility, then have the meeting onsite so that attendees can see the topic being discussed. Safety topics are easier for people to understand when they can see and interact with the topics.

Step 5

Introduce each attendee with the company’s official safety policy at the end of the meeting, along with any state or federal guidelines that need to be included. Allow for questions at the end of the presentation.