A safety mascot can be a way to keep safety awareness alive, make safety messaging more memorable and have a little fun at the same time, as the Town of Fort Mill has shown.
Kathy Welch, Fort Mill’s risk management coordinator, was a panelist for the loss control session during the Risk Management Services Annual Members’ Meeting in November. She explained the thinking behind the safety mascot the town has adopted — Coney B. Safe.
She said the town has made efforts to create a culture of safety by generating safety topics every Monday, encouraging weekly department safety meetings, having a safety committee and accident review committee that seeks to find the root cause of incidents and implement corrective action measures. The mascot in particular aims to get the attention and engagement of employees.
“I use him to promote safety by doing ‘Where is Coney B. Safe?’” Welch said. “He is placed throughout the town in hidden locations, then I send out an email with a picture of him hiding. The first person to email me with his exact location wins a prize. This also promotes wellness as well because a lot of employees walk during breaks and lunches. While on their walks, they may spot me and Coney B. Safe!”
A safety mascot is a creative way to promote a culture of safety within an organization, and may help foster a safety conscious workforce and prevent workplace injuries.