SAFETY SUGGESTIONS The Navy’s Beneficial Suggestion Program (Benny Sugg) applies to safety suggestions. Safety suggestions that could result in monetary rewards include those which  accomplish  the  following: Decrease lost work time Eliminate  a  hazardous  condition Recommend the use of a less hazardous material Safety suggestions may be made internally (within the command) or externally (outside the command). External  and  internal  safety  suggestions  should  be considered  for  rewards.  A  properly  designed  safety suggestion program is an effective means of tapping into your  workers’  ingenuity.  People  who  work  with  systems and equipment on a daily basis are in a better position to find a better, faster, easier, and safer way of working. A successful safety suggestion program must meet the following   guidelines: The command must really want suggestions from its workers and sailors. Every suggestion must be taken seriously; if it is not usable, the person who made the suggestion must receive an explanation of why it can’t be used. Action  to  incorporate  the  suggestion  should  be prompt or the reason for any necessary delay explained. Anonymity should be respected, if desired, by the person who makes the suggestion. Rewards should be reasonable in relation to the value  of  the  suggestion. Many  safety  suggestions  have  resulted  in  cash awards. For example, one suggested the use of bio- degradable detergent in a solvent parts washer. Another suggested  the  inclusion  of  extra  safety  steps  that eliminated  frequent  mishaps. RECOGNITION AND REWARDS Everyone appreciates a pat on the back and positive reinforcement. Too frequently in safety, supervisors tend to notice only the wrong and not the right. We will stop a worker who isn’t wearing safety goggles, but walk right past a worker who is wearing the correct safety  equipment.  Recognition  for  correct  behavior bolsters  safety  program  compliance  and  safe  attitudes. Recognition can be as simple as mentioning the name of a worker or sailor in the Plan of the Day (POD) or Plan of the Week. Divisions or work centers with a superior mishap record can be recognized with a plaque or a notice on the safety bulletin board. Commands have used  head-of-the-mess-line  privileges,  special  liberty, and ship’s store discounts as incentives and rewards for safe  behavior.  Recognition  and  rewards  strengthen  your safety program support, so make the extra effort to reward your people for safe practices. Recognition also applies to your safety assistants. A special safety-green ball cap, lettered T-shirt, or safety petty  officer  name  tag  gives  your  safety  team distinction. You can use the ball caps or name tags to motivate   safety   petty   officers   to   complete   their qualifications.  All  of  these  positive  strokes  make  people feel good about their command’s safety program. RECOGNITION   ORGANIZATIONS Awards   provide   an   excellent   opportunity   to promote  safety  programs.  Many  nonprofit  organizations throughout the United States award people who use certain articles of protective equipment to eliminate or reduce the chances of serious injury. The following lists some of those organizations: Wise Owl Club— Founded in 1947, this is the oldest  of  all  such  “safety  clubs.”  Membership  is restricted to workers who have saved their eyesight by wearing  eye  protection.  Address  inquiries  to  Director  of Industrial Service, National Society for the Prevention of Blindness, Inc., 79 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016. The Golden Shoe Club— This  club  awards workers  who  have  avoided  serious  injury  by  wearing safety shoes. The club’s address is Golden Shoe Club, 1509 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63166. Kangaroo Club— Members of this club have averted serious injury or death by wearing safety belts. The club’s address is Kangaroo Club International, P.O. Box  950,  Coatesville,  PA  19320. “I Survived” Club— The  Naval  Safety  Center sponsors this club for naval personnel and members of their families whose lives have been saved by wearing safety belts or using child safety seats. The Naval Safety Center sends the survivor a certificate (fig. 2-2) signed 2-6