When it comes to creating a culture of safety in the workplace, Kevin Burns says seeing workers go home each day without an injury is not enough.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat's the least you're allowed to do by law,SA国际影视传媒� the public speaker and management consultant said Monday.

SA国际影视传媒淚f we really want to have something to shoot for, it's about sending our people home better than they showed up at work in the morning.SA国际影视传媒�

Based in Calgary, Burns was invited by the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers, North of 60 Chapter, to speak at day-long seminar in Yellowknife in recognition of North American Occupational Safety and Health Week.

Burns's philosophy of workplace safety centres on the worker's emotional well-being.

The best supervisor is a people-person, he says: someone who is attentive and considerate of his or her staff; someone with SA国际影视传媒渟oft skills.SA国际影视传媒�

But what are soft skills?

SA国际影视传媒淐aring about people and telling them,SA国际影视传媒� said Burns in an interview following his talk.

SA国际影视传媒淗aving those conversations face-to-face that they're valued and that they matter. Those are things that my generation is not used to hearing.SA国际影视传媒�

His generation SA国际影视传媒� workers ages 55 and older SA国际影视传媒� came up believing that if they didn't hear from their bosses for days on end, it meant they were doing a good job, he said.

Burns, who has a background is in human resources, believes communicating with employees about their needs and wants makes for a happier, and ultimately safer, workplace.

SA国际影视传媒淚f we're going to change the culture, we can't change it based on rules and regulations,SA国际影视传媒� he told the crowd of a dozen or so people. SA国际影视传媒淪tricter, harder rules doesn't inspire people to want to give their best. It just inspires them to give enough that they don't get fired.SA国际影视传媒�

Nor are guilt and scare tactics effective means of promoting safe work practices, Burns continued.

The key to creating a safe and happy workplace, he said, is appealing to SA国际影视传媒渉earts and minds.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲e want them to act safely, (but) are we giving them the inspiration and motivation to act safely? It's a tough question,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Burns said upper management is too far removed from day-to-day life on the job to create and maintain a culture of safety.

Therefore, he continued, it's up to the supervisor to lead the way, to be a SA国际影视传媒済ood coach.SA国际影视传媒�

The safety and training manager at Ron's Equipment and Supply, said workers' desires are often overlooked.

Simon McCrady, who attended Burns's talk, said the notion that employees are in it only for money is a misconception.

He alluded to Burns's presentation, which cited a Tinypulse survey that found workers want to feel as though they are part of a team and that their work is meaningful.

SA国际影视传媒淚t doesn't actually cost the company more in wages to do that and give the employees more of what they want,SA国际影视传媒� said McCrady.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd the happier employees are, obviously, the more productive they become, the less incidents they have and... the more buy in you have on safety.SA国际影视传媒�

The Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission recently proposed fining workers and employers who violate occupational health and safety regulations.

McCrady is supportive.

Rather than endure a months-long court process over a safety infraction, he said, fines provide an immediate response.

He believes a ticketing system will help educate the workforce by making people aware that there are consequences for breaking the rules that exist to protect them.

SA国际影视传媒淚've had a fall from heights and I don't want anybody to go through what I did,SA国际影视传媒� said McCrady, who was permanently injured after the incident.
SA国际影视传媒淚f (fines) can help prevent that from happening, I think it's a great idea.SA国际影视传媒�

Cara Benoit, chapter chair of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers, said it can be challenging for small businesses in the Northwest Territories to enforce a robust safety program.

SA国际影视传媒淭here's so many different rules and regulations to do with finances... with labour laws, and I think for safety, we just need to give (small businesses) more training, more access to information and be more collaborative,SA国际影视传媒� she said.