It Doesn’t Have to Be Formal to Be Effective

Among the responsibilities that come with supervising seasonal employees is to help them keep Core 6 principles top of mind. One of the best ways to accomplish that is through mini-observations — and they don’t have to be formal to be effective.

“Between April and September, nearly 75 percent of our employees are seasonal,” explains Becky Cooper, Safety Manager, Naperville Park District. “Core 6 is extremely important to us in everything we do, but especially in everyday tasks like getting in and out of vehicles, on and off equipment, job tasks that require lifting, and having and using Personal Protective Equipment. And we follow Core 6 strategies every time we enter a new environment.”

Cooper ensures all seasonal staff receives Core 6 training, including watching the video during orientation. In addition, she addresses Core 6 strategies in periodic email reminders. “I also review Core 6 at our annual safety training event for full- and part-time year-round staff.”

Keeping the Focus

When Cooper initially rolled out Core 6 at Naperville Park District, all departments had to complete one-to-two written job task observations each week. She reviewed and approved each of them for the first six months and then decreased the written observations to one-to-two per month.

“Once everyone was in the habit of using Core 6 on a regular basis, and I could see our supervisors were providing constructive feedback without having to document each job task observation, we knew the program was a success and moved to an informal observation (non-written) process,” explains Cooper.

Naperville’s Core 6 focus has helped create a culture at the park district that’s reducing risks and keeping full-time, part-time and seasonal staff — as well as property — safer. “We remind staff throughout the year about Core 6,” Cooper says. “After every accident or claim involving property damage or employee injury, we review the incident in detail to confirm whether the employee involved applied Core 6 strategies.

“There’s no doubt the program has had a positive affect on Naperville Park District, and it certainly has improved our internal communication when reviewing accidents and incidents,” she adds. “It also helps identify when and where we need additional training. And as long as we keep talking about it, we’ll keep learning.”