A Good Safety Attitude

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

You have been receiving advice about safety for years. You have listened to it at work, read it and watched television spots on it, but probably never thought about it much. You might even think, “Injuries can’t happen to me.”

WHAT’S THE DANGER?

Injuries can happen to anyone. Nobody is exempt. You can learn this the easy way by heeding advice, or you can learn it the hard way by dealing with a serious injury.

EXAMPLE

A co-worker friend, who is in a hurry to get her job done and bypasses a safety procedure, is seriously injured at work. Everyone is affected? especially you.

You can see what it means to your friend – physical pain, emotional shock, lost time. Things will be different. Physical therapy and rehabilitation are long and usually painful procedures with this type of injury.

In the aftermath, you notice your attitude has really changed. You make a point of staying alert to possible hazards. You take the extra time to use special personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety procedures. You are more willing to listen to suggestions that might protect you.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

So, what exactly are the elements of a good safety attitude?

FOCUS

A good safety attitude means you focus on the task. How well are you concentrating on the job? If you have other things on your mind, you may be distracted. And if you are bored, an unintentional slip is easy.

STRENGTH

No, this doesn’t mean muscle strength. What it means is the strength to do the right thing, even when you are under pressure to take shortcuts. A good safety attitude means you have the strength to stick with the procedures.

TIME

A good safety attitude means taking the time to do things correctly and using the right PPE. Is saving a few minutes’ worth a lifelong injury? If you add up the life costs due to injuries, it is obvious that it is cheaper to do the job the right way the first time.

RESPONSIBILITY

If you care about yourself and your co-workers, you will take responsibility even when a task? isn’t my job? A good safety attitude means thinking of yourself as part of the team.

RISK

We are all at risk. But you can weigh the risks of performing a job a certain way. A one in a thousand risk is not worth the possible cost. A good safety attitude means being smart and avoid taking unnecessary risks.

FINAL WORD

Having a good safety attitude affects everyone around you. Your life and relationships with others will be positively influenced.