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... unlimited. The agent is close to the employer and sees him or her regularly-and thus can provide a fresh pair of eyes to identify hazards. That's only the beginning. I encourage a more hands-on approach to safety. Agents can make a real difference by helping the employer establish safety committees. Why is this important? Studies show that 90% of all accidents are caused by employees rather than by faulty equipment or conditions. Turning over the responsibility for safety and accident prevention to employees, through safety committees, is the only sure-fire way to achieve lasting results. Through my experience, I am more convinced than ever that the only successful approach to safety is to implement an employee-centered program. The agent can be the catalyst who makes this happen. The employee safety committee needs direction from an outside ... independent coordinator, and should be made up of nonsupervisory personnel. The people closest to a problem are best able to find practical, cost-effective solutions. Managers sometimes believe that employees lack the sophistication necessary to develop solutions. However, the safety committees I have worked with have produced excellent results. Indeed, workers such as assemblers, sweepers, maintenance people, sales clerks, stock clerks, and cashiers are valuable assets for identifying unsafe conditions and making recommendations that improve productivity and quality. One of my industrial clients told me that communication with the work force had greatly improved since the start of the employee safety program. I approach safety in an orthodox way. Approximately eight employees meet once a month for an hour. We review accident reports to pinpoint the accidents' causes, and make recommendations for ...

...aused by employees rather than by faulty equipment or conditions. Turning over...ing, poor lighting and other hazards, stockrooms are often accidents waiting t...