Training Workers to Wear PPE Correctly
Normalization of Deviance | It sounds like something you forgot from your high school statistics class. But when it comes to safety, it’s very bad news! Normalization of Deviance is defined as the tendency for behaviors that were once considered unacceptable to become acceptable and possibly even common.
It happens, for example, when one worker sees another worker pushing safety glasses to the top of their head. So they think it’s okay to do it. Then more workers see those two and they start doing it. And before you know it, somebody has an eye injury.
How to Stop Normalization of Deviance
There are three solutions to this problem:
Solution 1 Training Workers for PPE Compliance
First, you need to make sure your workers understand how to wear their PPE correctly and the reasons for doing so. Hold a training class to demonstrate both proper and improper PPE wear and explain the reasons behind it. Since everyone learns differently, it’s a good idea to build in different ways of teaching to keep it engaging. In addition to explaining, have workers try on PPE and critique each other’s accuracy. Or show them pictures of workers wearing PPE incorrectly and quiz them on what’s wrong. Remember that one-time training won’t necessarily make the lessons stick. Toolbox talks, morning check-ins, and fun safety training videos are all effective ways to remind workers of safe PPE practices.
Solution 2 Reminding Workers to Wear PPE Correctly
Post reminders around your facility to keep wearing proper PPE top-of-mind. Be sure to rotate your poster choices regularly so workers don’t stop seeing them. And there’s no substitute for on-the-job safety compliance reminders. If you see someone wearing PPE incorrectly, call them out and explain why they’re not properly protected. This can take the form of straightforward reminding, or you can mix it up and get creative – never underestimate the power of humor. One safety manager we spoke to has an unusual way to remind his workers of eye safety:
– Nathan, Manufacturing Industry Safety Manager
Solution 3 Mentoring Workers for PPE Safety
The best way to stop people from doing something wrong is to show them how to do it right! Some safety managers do this through mentoring.
We put our new hires through training, but once they complete that, they are assigned a mentor from our safety team. The mentor is responsible for showing them how to apply the training that they just completed and guide them through their first project.
– Kevin, Oil & Gas Industry Safety Manager
Others choose a few PPE Ambassadors to set a good example.
I find an employee with a positive attitude and load him up with the right PPE. He goes out to show and tell others about the benefits of what he’s wearing. Hearing it from their peers is a great way to convince people without coming down hard on them.
– Clint, Refrigeration Industry Safety Manager
You might even consider rewarding workers when you “catch them” wearing PPE correctly.
We give our safety committees room in their budgets to reward workers. They have money available to hand out trendy items like camouflage safety glasses. Workers wear them at work or in the deer stand on the weekends during hunting season.
– Kevin, Oil & Gas Industry Safety Manager
Remember these solutions to get everyone wearing PPE correctly. With enough training, reminding, and mentoring, you can harness the kind of social power that causes normalization of deviance and turn it into normalization of compliance!
