Yogi Berra Was Right

Chances are, Yogi Berra didn’t realize when he said, “You can observe a lot by watching,” that it was just as applicable to injury prevention as it was to baseball. Observing staff is an important part of risk management, especially when it comes to encouraging employees to follow PDRMA’s Injury Prevention Program (PIPP) guidelines in pursuit of achieving agency SMART Goals.

Members tell us they’re using two of our courses — Back Safety and Ergonomics School for Maintenance Staff and A Supervisor’s Role in Coaching Injury Prevention — to create SMART Goals to pursue.
 
Paul Crisman, Risk Manager at Plainfield Park District, walks the talk — literally. “I do park and playground inspections each month along with weekly high-frequency inspections, so I’m out and about every day,” he says. “I get to see staff working on various projects, and it’s not a problem for me to do that. I also speak with parks supervisors to see if they’re working on any special projects, so I can observe them, too.”

When he meets with staff “in the field,” Crisman lets them know if he sees something they can do better as well as when he sees them doing things properly. “If they’re not quite hitting the mark, I ask if they have checked their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for that job task.”

Crisman used PDRMA recommendations along with his agency's specific needs to develop the tools he uses in his ‘walkabout.’ “I utilize a field observation checklist and go over with the supervisor if I see anything that needs any further training. Supervisors need to keep up to date with trends in effective PPE and safety practices,” Crisman notes. “We cannot rely on what we did in the past, there are new safety practices that help reduce or eliminate hazards for staff.” He also makes sure to review the job safety analysis for any work being done to see if any changes or additional steps may make the job safer.

It’s more than observing and monitoring, Crisman explains. “An effective prevention coach needs to be a good communicator.” He cites communication techniques like working with staff on their level, demonstrating and letting employees get used to new procedures and tasks, and more hands-on training as opposed to just a video and PowerPoint presentation. “It all helps them feel more involved with the training.”

However, Crisman is quick to point out that videos and other resources do help. “We’ve used the video, and I like to use the PIPP puzzle to show the phases and how each piece works to make our district safer — not only for employees but for our community.” 

Crisman is working on a training session for employees this September using the PIPP puzzle and merging it with the CORE 6 principles. “By understanding PIPP, you can look at any area where you’re having injuries and identify possible ways to reduce hazards. Then you step up and make the commitment to promote safety, track your injuries and focus on where you may have to increase training, PPE and/or awareness. Then look to see if you need to increase training, change work practices or maybe even contract out more hazardous jobs.”

Crisman says that while tracking injuries over the past six years — pre, during and post-COVID — he’s seen a decrease in lifting and back and shoulder injuries, though some still occur.

“This is where I still like to focus on training, the day-to-day lifting and working ergonomics. If I can help staff better understand better working practices by watching them do their jobs, they can feel better and work smarter without being injured.” And that’s a win-win for everyone.