Safety Knights

A coworker and I recently presented at a conference for maintenance people in our industry. Our topic was human factors. Knowing we were scheduled immediately after lunch (the worse time for presenting at a conference), we decided to break everyone into groups to play Jenga. It is a great way to get everyone involved and to teach that there are better explanations than the proximate cause of the collapse. Then we presented some human performance tools and asked them to play Jenga again, but this time used the tools we discussed. Most teams were able to build the tower higher using the tools.

Well, Tom, I'm going to have to give a huge shout-out for all of us who love York Peppermint Patties. I LOVE THEM. You can have all the Snickers and Almond Joy (some don't want to feel like a nut) candy bars and I'll take the Reeses, Butterfingers, and Yorks you've got.

I like how you break up the group but what I have learned (the hard way) is with large groups 30-60 it is so difficult for them to count to 4 or 5. I had a great mentor of mine tell me to prevent this delay, to count them off and not wait for them to answer with their number.

If time allows I like to start with a unique icebreaker/teambuilding or a game. I've used the blindfolded card game, draw me a Picture, the lightest stick, and the Minefield for icebreakers.

For a game, I use either a Jeopardy or a $10,000 Pyramid game I created on the topic that I am teaching on. This covers two different things. One, it gets them in a competitive game and splits them up. Then, secondly, I can see what knowledge they have about the subject I am teaching on.

I have also done Safety Pictionary and the Oink test as other tools for training.

Again, they all depend on the size of your group.

Back in 2014 & 2015, I created a game called Annual Refresher Football. It used the notion of asking questions, seeing if they got the question right, but how they did on the field was determined randomly by the 100 NFL plays. Some were completions, some were big runs, some were pick-sixes, and others were fumbles. In a group setting of 30+, I would divide the room in 1/2 and each side would choose a captain. The correct answer had to come from the Captain (so not everyone on that team was blurting out answers). I even had two of my mine rescue team members dress up like referees and had penalty flags for anyone who broke the communication rules. It was hilarious. However, it took me weeks to prepare the 100 individual football plays. In the end it was soo worth it.

I have used some adaptions of versions I have picked up along the years when I taught Crew and resources management. I have used tennis balls, ping pong balls, soccer balls and even a football and initially I start handing them out to one or two people. The class room watching them struggle to handle the different shapes and sizes of balls as they relate to the various sizes and types of resources, I began to explain the importance of expanding your command structure and realizing when to call for more help. and to know what you are asking for. Part way through I would then ask them to pick other people in the room to help them out and they could then see the many factors that go into crew and personnel resource management. The balls were all in a bag that they couldn't see, it was always fun to toss them the football after they have a hand full of round objects. always a good time