| Interactive safety responsibility |
When it comes to safety, we are truly our brothers'
and sisters' keepers.
Who is most at risk?
Statistics show that new workers and inexperienced people, those
who have been in the work-force for two years or less, have a higher
than average number of injuries.
But you may be surprised to learn that the numbers start to creep
up again with people who have ten, fifteen or more years experience.
How do you think this happens?
Here is one explanation: People who have been in the workforce for
a number of years get overconfident, and take chances. It's like
the driver who has driven his car for twenty years and never had
an accident. Maybe he drives aggressively, speeds, allows no margin
for error, while relying on his skill to get himself out of tight
places. He is at risk for an accident—more than he might realize.
What sort of chances can lead to injuries in
your workplace?
You can probably recite a litany of examples such as these:
- someone uses a drill without using safety
glasses
- or grasps a sharp piece of metal without bothering
to don the
right gloves
- or lifts something heavy by bending at the
waist.
Maybe workers can get away with it ninety nine times out of a hundred,
but if a hundred workers take short cuts like this every day, every
day one of them will get hurt.
The safe way is always the most economical way to get the work accomplished.
A job that results in injury or illness is never efficient, and
cutting safety corners never saves anything.
Watching out for one another
When Thomas gently corrects co-worker Suzi who has a habit of running
up and down stairs and not holding onto the handrail, that is actively
caring.
When Mario, on his way to the shipping department, sees a spill
in an unfrequented passageway, and stops long enough to clean it
up, that is actively caring.
When Thomas, Suzi and Mario, work safely, and watch out for the
safety of those around them as a matter of course, safe behaviors
have become a way of working.
In these examples, workers feel responsible for their associates'
as well as their own safety. They monitor safety continuously; and
go beyond the 'call of duty' to identify and correct hazards and
at-risk behaviors.
Workplace safety is enhanced when workers watch out for one another.
You may ask team members:
who agrees to look out for one another?
who would like to sign a safety pledge, putting this in writing?
The pledge reads like this:
Safety Commitment
"Where safety is concerned, we are truly our sisters' and brothers'
keepers.
I promise to let my associates know that I value and appreciate
their working safely. When I see them working unsafely, I will point
it out in a caring, respectful and constructive way.
In return, I will be pleased if they will correct me, any time they
see me doing anything unsafe. I will truly welcome their concern
as an expression that they care."
Signed: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
Date: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
No one has to sign the pledge and no one
can be penalized for not doing so. The pledge is largely symbolic,
but it reminds
all employees that they are jointly responsible for one another's
safety and shouldn't be offended when a co-worker directs their
attention to an unsafe act. No one needs to hand the pledges back.
Tell team members you would like to see those who wish to, sign
the pledge now.
What do they do with it?
Keep it in their wallets or purses as a reminder
of their safety commitment.
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