Next month is designated Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and, with spring in full form, it’s the perfect time to focus on safety – both on the road and in the workplace. If you’ve ever experienced piloting a motorcycle on the open road or off-road trail, you know about the exhilaration and heightened sense of awareness that is a part of every ride. Riding is great – but there is a lot more to being a motorcyclist than throwing a leg over the bike and taking off. There is a technical side to riding that, when mastered, provides a sense of pride and accomplishment not found anywhere else. Safety awareness and safe operation are part of the technical skills needed to get the most out of yourself and your bike.
If you’re interested in taking up the sport (or own a bike and haven’t had certified rider training) – please consider training offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF). You are guaranteed to have a blast, learn a lot, and get your riding career off on the right track. If you are an experienced rider, perhaps one of the many rider schools would interest you – such as Keith Code’s California Superbike School.
So, what does motorcycle safety awareness have to do with workplace safety? The common-sense practices taught in rider training share many characteristics with employee safety. Consider the following when building and reinforcing your organization’s culture of safety.
- Training is absolutely critical. Correctly piloting your bike is a developed skill and highly rewarding. It’s very satisfying to negotiate a particular stretch of road correctly – maintaining correct entry and exit speeds, lean angles, braking, throttle control, etc. Likewise, workplace safety depends upon thorough and consistent training methods and communication.
- Make the use of safety equipment mandatory. Your safety incentive program should reinforce your overall safety initiative by helping to develop safe habits. Wearing safety gear is a part of that, and taking shortcuts can be dangerous. Never ride without full protective gear – and reward employees for always using safety equipment while on the job.
- Utilize mentoring to further safe practices. Fellow riders are always eager to lend a hand; offering to assistance with advice, riding technique, and mechanical know-how. Designate safety team members to fill this role with employees – to bring along new team members and share safe practices.
Our structured QIC Safety Incentive Programs enhance the safety culture and elevate its prominence throughout the organization. To find out more, contact us here.
