Take Safety Personally

With all the emphasis on safety programs, safety training, and safety rules, it’s easy to forget that when you come right down to it, safety is a personal matter. Let me explain a little.

When I see Betty operating her die press with her safety glasses hanging around her neck, I may very well holler at her in less than musical tones to get them up where they belong. And when Jack attempts to bypass the machine guard on his press, I’ll address him in no uncertain or gentle terms. Should either of them take my comments personally?

The answer is both "no" and "yes." It’s "no" in the sense that I’m not attacking either of them as a person, only criticizing a particular behavior. But it’s "yes" because the reason is concern for their personal safety.

And when each of you makes safety his or her own personal goal, this will be a safer workplace for all of us. It takes the same kind of responsibility you accept and exercise when you’re driving. You know you have brakes, and you have them regularly checked, but in heavy traffic or bad weather you don’t rely totally on the brakes—you make it a point to drive more slowly and be even more watchful than usual. In the same way, even when your machine guards and safety glasses are in place, you can’t assume that means you don’t have to exercise care and caution.

A Successful Formula When you take safety personally and add a generous portion of positive thinking, you have a good formula for safety success. By positive thinking, I mean a combination of attitude and objectives. It means first of all believing that your actions count and can prevent accidents and preserve safety. Then it means knowing the difference between safe and unsafe actions and being determined always to choose the former.

Here are some expressions of positive thinking with regard to safety:

• I am responsible for my own health, safety, and well-being.

• I am also my brothers’ and sisters’ keeper in the matter of safety on the job.

• Accidents can and will happen unless I do my part to prevent them.

• There is always a best—safest—way to do any job, and that way is the only right way to do it.

• It is only common sense to follow the work rules and practices designed to promote the health and safety of myself and my co-workers.

• Before starting any job, I will check carefully to be sure there are no hidden hazards that require special protective measures.

• When protective equipment is called for, I will wear it; when special procedures are required, I will follow them.

If there’s one thing I hope you’ll take out on the floor with you from this session, it’s this: In our ongoing battle against accident and injury, two of our most powerful weapons are positive thinking and taking safety personally.