Unsafe Shortcuts

We all like to get our work done without unnecessary effort, getting the most out of the time and energy we spend on each task. And sometimes this attitude helps us find a better way of getting things done.

But at other times, when it leads us to take shortcuts, it can put us on a direct route to trouble. All of us at some time or another have exposed ourselves to possible harm by shortcutting rather than taking the few extra steps required by the safe way. As kids, we hopped the fence instead of using the gate; now we cross the street between the intersections.

A successful shortcut—meaning one that results in no damage—nevertheless has a downside. It gives us the feeling that we can always substitute the quick way for the tried-and-true safe way and get out of it in one piece. Unfortunately, that feeling can be misleading.

Take the case of the worker on a ladder who is almost finished with the job except for just a little bit that can be done by reaching farther than the safety guidelines call for. It’s decision time: get down, move the ladder, and climb up again, or take a chance. 
What are the possible outcomes? The worker may luck out and finish the job by reaching, with no trouble. Or leaning too far to the side may cause the ladder to topple and the worker to fall, resulting in a concussion, a broken leg, or a broken neck.

What kind of choice was that? One way, the safe way, the odds are 100 to 1 in your favor. There’s no way of knowing the exact odds on a given shortcut—but it’s surely less than 100 to 1. So the decision to take a chance was not a wise one. Risking your neck to save a few minutes of time is a bad gamble.

Of course, when you come right down to it, most of the shortcuts people take aren’t really aimed at saving time. People take shortcuts because doing things the safe way is "too much bother." To avoid all this bother, they will:

• Use the wrong tool instead of going to fetch the right one
• Climb the rebar instead of going over to the ladder
• Lift too heavy a load instead of getting extra help
• Use a sander or chipper without putting on the safety goggles.

In every one of these cases, they will have avoided the bother they had in mind, all right, but they may run into some bother they didn’t expect. Like, for example, a particle in the eye that requires first aid or more extensive treatment. Or a back-muscle strain that results in several days’ lost time. Or worse.

I’m willing to bet that every one of you has sometime in the last couple of months cut a corner or two off the safe way. You really knew better, but you did it anyway. I don’t want to hear about it; this is not "true confession" time. What I do want you to do is think very hard about what could have happened as a result of that shortcut. And remember that the same possible result is lying in wait every time you try the same thing again. The odds may have shifted, though, so think hard again. Is it really worth the gamble?

The safe work practices that have been established here are designed to protect you. If they sometimes involve a little "bother," that should be regarded as a small price to pay for safety.