Everything Important About The Safety Memo

Have you seen the words “safety memo” thrown around but don’t really know what they mean? Chances are, you have actually come across many such memos! Safety memos can take the form of posters, written notes, and videos. This article will outline just what exactly is a safety memo and the importance of them. Want to learn more about staying safe at work? For more information, contact ACUTE today!

What Is A Safety Memo?

safety memo poster

There is no singular definition for a safety memo. Safety memos can take on many forms and may look slightly different from workplace to workplace. However, the main goal of every memo is the same: to keep employers, workers, and the public safe from workplace hazards. Safety memos may come in the form of a poster in your workplace, reminding you to properly wash your hands after using the washroom. They could take the form of a video on YouTube, or a public safety announcement posted online or sent as an email.

Formal safety memos usually come in the form of a letter. They are addressed to specified people from a company, organization, or person, and include a title. See below for two examples.

Example #1: “Trinity Washington University, Construction Site Safety, October 15, 2014
To: Trinity Community; From: President McGuire; RE: Construction Memo #6: Construction Site Safety”
Source: Trinity Washington University
Example #2: “Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, Memorandum, Memo No. 14-163
To: Trustees; From: Jennifer Adams, Director of Education and Janice McCoy, Superintendent of Human Resources; Date: 14 November 2014; RE: Occupational Health & Safety Update”
Source: OCDSB

Required workplace health & safety posters may also be considered formal memos. The required “Ontario Health & Safety at Work – Prevention Starts Here” poster must be placed in the workplace for employees to see and read.

Outside the workplace, you can find many informal memos all over the internet! Some videos are made by the government or health & safety companies to raise awareness. Others are made by everyday citizens who care about workplace safety. Check out the short video below for a great example of an online safety memo video. For more safety memo videos, click here!

Effective Safety Memos

What makes an effective safety memo? This may look different depending on the form of the safety memo. For example, it may be important that safety memo videos capture attention with bright colours and clear narration. However, that does not necessarily apply to a formal memo letter. Still, here are some general guidelines about what makes an effective safety memo.

The memo follows the Occupational Health and Safety Act guidelines – Memos are great, but if you come across an online memo from across the world, it may reference different safety standards and regulations. Effective safety memos will follow regional guidelines. If you receive a formal written memo, it should follow all OH&S guidelines.
It’s easy to read and/or understand – A complicated memo will not effectively get the point across. Whether the memo comes in written, video, or audio form, it should be clearly communicated and should not leave the reader or viewer with unanswered questions.
It’s designed for the appropriate audience – Receiving a memo about mining accidents while working as a cashier in a retail store may be confusing and ineffective, while a memo about who is or is not allowed to operate certain machinery or enter certain areas of the workplace might be a highly appropriate and effective memo. Workers should receive safety memos that are applicable to their specific workplace or location.
It’s up to date – Legislation is always changing. A safety memo from 1995 may be completely invalid by today’s standards. A good memo will not only contain recent legislation and safety guidelines, but it will make note of any recent changes. Did you know there have been recent changes to the OHSA Green Book? Click here to find out more.
Clear penalties & consequences – No matter what form the memo comes in, an effective memo will contain a clear explanation of penalties or consequences if safety rules are broken.

Source: eHow.com

Have you ever seen a safety memo in a unique or creative place? If you look closely, safety memos are all around, not just in your workplace! Here are some creative ways of distributing a safety memo:

Image source: RealSafety.org

Posting publicly online – The Trinity Washington University & Ottawa-Carleton District School Board memos were posted for anyone in the public to see. Although these memos may not directly affect you, they are still full of great safety information and prove that the safety memo is alive and well.
Social media – That’s right, safety memos are all over social media. To check out some great, creative, and informative safety memos, search #safetymemo on Twitter and see all the quotes, videos, and posters that pop up!
Videos – As mentioned above, safety memo videos are easy to find and a great way to distribute important safety information to those who may not be aware of it.
Posters – Eye-catching and creative posters are a great way to grab workers’ attention. There are tons of free online workplace safety posters available for all workplaces!

ACUTE – Ensuring Quality Training and Education

Safety memos are a great way to keep workers up to date on the latest safety practices and help encourage a culture of good health and safety practices at work. However, the best way to keep everyone safe at work is by getting the best hands-on training for employees and ensuring that your trainer helps to build excellent team skills. Here are some ways that ACUTE goes beyond government compliance in Ontario health and safety training.

Open Door Instructor-Student Partnership: ACUTE’s training services emphasize client participation. Staff foster relationships with clients and serve as a touchstone for advice moving forward.
Serving Your Team and Industry: With a vast array of clients in the manufacturing, construction, health, academic, and government sectors, ACUTE brings the best safety practices from across the spectrum to your workplace.
100 Years Combined Experience: ACUTE provides comprehensive health and safety training, on-site safety services, and consulting services. With over 100 years of combined experience, our staff offers more than theoretical or abstract ideas. ACUTE offers solutions.
Track Record of Success: ACUTE is rated 4.9/5 stars on Google reviews, demonstrating a commitment to our clients, quality, and a passion for training.

“ACUTE’s trainers have a passion for the material and
care about their clients.”

– Rob, Tank Manufacturing Company – more testimonials here!