Here's how to bring out the best in behavior-based safety.

Have you ever suffered from something called "premature cognitive commitment"? I'd like to explore this concept, taken from Ellen J. Langer's book, "Mindfulness," as a follow-up to last month's article on how to increase mindful behavior to prevent injuries.

Do you work with someone who gets hurt often? Many times a small percentage of your workforce will account for a large amount of your injuries.

So how do we become more mindful of behavioral routines that could lead to injury, either to ourselves or to others?

If you look closely at your accident statistics, you know that out of all your employees, the most likely to get injured are "new employees."

I've been doing my formal behavioral safety audits for about six months now and it doesn't always feel like I'm adding value," said the health and safety manager for two of our divisions in California. "Are you sure this process is worth us continuing?"

I hear this question often. In fact, I've asked it myself on a few occasions. After all, I'm championing a safety process where 90 percent of the time audits show employees are working safely. So what's the point?

Safety-related conversations often come across as confrontational. One person tells another he or she is working unsafely and needs to do something about it. This points out that people expect the worst when safety feedback is offered. If you confirm those expectations, you'll have trouble being an effective safety coach. Here are five ways to avoid potential problems.

Many presentations on the psychology of safety base assertions solely on common sense. Statements are made that sound good but are actually incorrect or unfounded. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to determine which psychology-related statements are valid.

This month is known to sports fans as 'March Madness' - when 64 major college basketball teams compete in the annual National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. For three weeks, fans will watch games where momentum dramatically swings back and forth. In this article, I want to discuss momentum - and how we can harness it to improve our safety processes.

We asked a panel of experienced safety and health professionals for advice on dealing with the sensitive subject of employee health complaints. Sooner or later they surface in every workplace. Here's what the experts suggest to help you be prepared.