| Robert F. Mager, Experience Trainer, once said | | | | And the truth of the matter is that with |
| "To go from a zero to a management hero to | | | | management support and getting employees |
| answer these question you'll strive" Where am I | | | | involved in the process is possible and can be |
| going? How will I get there? and How will I know | | | | realized quickly if you create a system of trust. |
| I've arrived"? | | | | We can implement all of the programs in the |
| With these thoughts in mind, you, as | | | | world, create all of the activities we want, add all |
| management, must decide what direction that | | | | of the safety guards to equipment to try and |
| you want your process to go. Do you want to | | | | prevent injuries, but if employees do not truly |
| just become compliance with regulatory standards | | | | believe that management is committed or serious, |
| or customer driven in nature or do you want to | | | | then reducing injuries or producing a quality |
| develop a system that will drive support of your | | | | product probably will not occur. It is my opinion |
| management process? | | | | that if you do not have a mindset of zero that |
| From a Safety or Quality Professional point of | | | | you will never achieves the ultimate goal, a |
| view, let's explore the Zero question. What does a | | | | workplace without injuries or a quality product. |
| zero injury or quality system really look like? | | | | You will constantly be reacting to the situation and |
| Some professionals may say that achieving zero | | | | become a "fire fighter" instead of a "problem |
| is not a creditable or a realistic goal. While other | | | | solver." |
| professionals say that it is the only direction to go. | | | | Some behaviorist would like for you to believe |
| The question: Do you want to apply a zero | | | | that you must implement a behavior-based |
| concept to your process? | | | | process, which really came from Total Quality |
| I would say to anyone reading this that you have | | | | Management (TQM), or change will not occur. This |
| to lead people to believe that zero is possible. I | | | | is all a matter of opinion and must be explored in |
| remember starting a new Safety position where | | | | much more details. One must remember that a |
| injuries were higher than normal. I was asked the | | | | behavior-based safety process is not the total |
| question on my first day: What would you do to | | | | answer to reducing injuries. |
| reduce injuries. Of course my answer, based on | | | | The ironic part and the bottom line of what I am |
| my experience, is to strive for zero. The reaction | | | | trying to convey here is that we as a society do |
| was: "Get realistic. It is not possible, we have | | | | not use our employee as effectively as we can. |
| never achieved zero before." My response: If do | | | | The key to success is employee participation. It is |
| not think it and create the image you will not | | | | FREE and must be utilized to it fullest. Sometimes |
| achieve your goals and objectives. You have to | | | | we do not leverage employees as we should. |
| create the mind set. So, over the next few years | | | | After all who really knows the process better |
| the injury rate decreased and the mindset was | | | | than anyone? So why not trust the source and |
| achieved. This took a lot of selling and was not | | | | ask a simple question: How can we improve the |
| easy. But the key is to be consistent in what you | | | | process? You will be surprised what you can |
| think and how you present your product of zero. | | | | accomplish. |