Safety Captain Apprentice Program

[MrsDitt]

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

I'm sorry to sound condescending but what could you possibly teach a "inexperienced" safety captain. How much is there really to it...

Actually, it's not a matter of being condescending, but of not understanding how deep and wide the job of Safety Captain can be when you decide you want to do more than just the minimum in the Safety Manual. Each team has unique equipment, circumstances, and build facilities that call for observation, planning, and implementation of custom safety programs. Those take time and effort, and the more you can learn from those who went before you, the easier it is to maintain and continue to improve your culture of safety.

In addition, representing your team as Safety Captain at a regional is more than just doing the minimums in the manual. The Safety Advisors talk one-on-one with each Safety Captain, review their programs, give advice on areas that can be improved, etc. It's really helpful to have someone who has gone through this tell you all about it so you are more prepared. Plus, you want to benefit from the advice last year's Safety Captain was given by the Safety Advisors.

And, straight from the Safety Manual, here is what they are looking for when they consider who the UL Industrial Safety Award is going to: "This award celebrates the team that progresses beyond safety fundamentals by using innovative ways to eliminate or protect against hazards." This is what they want from all of us. Kudos to those teams who actively pursue improved safety programs!