October 28, 2025
We always ask a group on site, “Does everyone know how to report a hazard or a near miss?” Every head nods. Everyone’s confident. Of course we do.
Then I ask, “Do you actually report every hazard you see?” And suddenly, the room falls silent. And the look says it all. Nah!
So I dig a bit deeper. Why not?
“Too busy.” “Reported before, but nothing got done.” “We’ve always done it this way.”
That last one pops up everywhere. Usually from someone who’s been around forever. Loyal. Proud. Knows the job inside out. But that phrase can also be a bit of a red flag.
Because when something’s been done the same way for years and nothing bad happens, it starts to feel normal. And that’s where the danger creeps in.
The Perfect Storm
A lot of older manufacturing sites today are dealing with a mix that isn’t easy. You’ve got an experienced workforce who’ve done the job safely for decades. You’ve got new starters, often from different backgrounds and languages, trying to find their feet. You’ve got production pressure, targets to hit, and not much time to stop and think.
It all adds up to an environment where hazards go unseen or unreported. Not because people don’t care. But because they’ve stopped noticing. Or don’t feel confident enough to speak up.
What We’ve Seen
At Deal With It®Training, we see this a lot. Our behavioural safety sessions are all about saying it how it is and resetting awareness. Getting people talking. Getting people thinking.
We don’t lecture. We have a laugh, tell some stories and ask the right questions. We don’t point fingers. We get people involved. And most importantly, we help build trust so that people feel able to speak up.
But here’s the truth. Training on its own doesn’t fix it.
What Makes It Stick
Real change happens when leaders and supervisors back it up every day. When they walk the talk. When the message doesn’t fade the minute the training ends.
That means supervisors reinforcing it on the floor. Leaders showing they’re open to challenge. Simple systems that make it easy to report things. And a clear sense that safety belongs to everyone, not just the safety team.
That’s what we call Stickability.
When the learning sticks because it becomes part of how people actually work.
Final Thought
You can’t fix hazard blindness with posters or one good training day. It takes small, consistent changes that build trust and awareness over time.
If you want to break that cycle and build a culture where people really do look out for each other.
Please get in contact: Neil Lancaster
T: 01928-515977 E: info@dealwithittraining.co.uk
👉 www.dealwithittraining.co.uk
#SafetyCulture #BehaviouralSafety #Leadership #ManufacturingSafety #EmployeeEngagement #HealthAndSafety #HumanFactors #DealWithItTraining #WorkplaceCulture #Manufacturingsafety
