This leads to a lot of interesting behavior, and too much emphasis at times on the wrong things.

For instance, when the trend in injuries starts to climb, some people go into defensive mode. They direct more and more people to look at the things that caused recent injury and remind people what to do to avoid those things. If they were playing offense, they would always be looking for the next potential situation to avoid, the next hazard to put to rest forever.

When we play offense well, we “run up the score” on safe hours worked, because we are playing such good offense we can’t be stopped.

Truth is, no one has enough players to play safety defensively. You can protect only so much. You need to engage the players – your employees – in the powerful offensive skills of awareness and action.

It’s great to have an incredible goalie or an ace closer to come in and finish the game. But if the offense doesn’t score, it won’t matter. Win, you must.

Refuse to do work that you cannot perform safely.

If you see someone performing work in an unsafe manner, or in a manner that could lead to injury, you are obligated to speak up and stop them.

Both of these require an environment of trust and respect, and a great deal of patience on the part of managers and team leaders. If implemented in an environment that has not historically supported stopping work to look at the safety of an action, then you need to recognize the need to think differently. You need to be willing to praise and acknowledge those that are trying to bring a higher level of safety to their work.

The power of the process lies in obligation #3.

If someone asks you to stop doing something that they consider unsafe, you are obligated to stop, discuss and issue with them, and agree to a safe approach before continuing.

Would this bring your operation to a grinding halt? If so, you likely have too many safety issues on your hands and you need a major overhaul of your safety program. But if you have been chugging along at some “acceptable” level of injury and can’t seem to make progress to a level of zero incidents, I suggest you consider how you could implement something similar in your workplace.

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Do you have a safety committee that meets on a regular basis? Bring the idea to them and see what they think would be the probability of acceptance. Maybe just reinforcing the idea of the first obligation is the place to start, and you could work on an observation program in the future that would allow you to consider the next two.
2. Can your management or leadership team buy in to this? Do they trust the workforce enough to know that people will use this the right way? You may need to start with that team first, and make sure they could support the implications. You aren’t selling a new safety system here, you are trying to raise the level of safety performance. You will never get to zero injuries without a process that fully engages employees. And you don’t buy that off the shelf, you implement with every day and every interaction.
3. Do you have PC or email access for employees? Consider setting up an anonymous way of submitting concerns or ideas. In one place I worked, we had a simple database set up with forms where people could submit ideas from kiosks that required no sign-in. They could choose to add their name or not, and we continually acknowledged those that submitted suggestions.
4. Are you concerned about how your union would accept a process where employees are expected to “confront” one another? Ask the union leadership to help you problem solve how this could work in your environment. First, help them see how this could lead to better levels of safety. Consider what discipline would look like for someone who chooses not to stop when confronted. If an employee is violating accepted procedures, then management should already be noticing that and dealing with it. Obligation #2 is designed to identify new areas to improve, not to tattle on those who are breaking existing rules.

As far as I can see, there is no reason to avoid employee involvement in improving safety. I see it as the only way to get to world class performance. You don’t need these three obligations to get there, but you need something.

If not this, what are you doing to get to that next level? Remember, hope is not a strategy. Results require action.

Thanks, and lets be careful out there.

My thanks to Trish McFarlane, who’s recent post on preparedness prompted my thinking about how we all can find safer ways to do things. Though not directly related, these ideas can help move past mere compliance and into an environment and culture where safety is first and foremost in reality, not just in our employee handbooks.

In a safety audit, she would be asked if she had a plan, and she would say yes. She could show a document that would list the right details and actions. She would be in compliance.

Part of why she was prepared was her experience.  She knew the threat was real. She knew that the time to act was now. She quickly executed her plan.

In safety, management frequently develops policies and procedures. Many are required through regulatory agencies like OSHA, and some are created out of necessity or past experience. Sometimes we shut the barn door after the horses are gone, but at least no more horses get out.

It’s time for a new level of policy. A policy of preparedness. A policy where we demonstrate our value for safety every day.

Where I work, we call it an obligation. An obligation is something that everyone is accountable for, and we have three of them.

The first obligation is simple, but it requires that management demonstrate discipline, openness and trust.

I am obligated to refuse to do something that I can’t do safely.

Simple, right?

My craziest boss would demonstrate this obligation for new employees in a way that stuck with them. He told them the whole plant was engineered for safety. That even the desk drawers were designed so that you couldn’t get your hand caught in them. He would ask a new employee to come up to the desk, he opened a drawer and told the new employee “Go ahead and put your hand in there. I’ll slam this shut and you will see how it works.”

Some of them did it, others said  “No, I can’t be sure of my safety.”

And that was his first point. Employees have to learn to trust their own sense of what is safe or not, and not assume they are protected.

And management has to encourage the challenge. Not just tolerate it, but encourage it.

How do you implement an obligation like this? Well, you start by asking employees if there is anything they do that raises concern over their safety. Do they feel under-trained or inadequately protected? They may not volunteer the information without being asked, you have to give them reason to trust you.  So that’s step 1. Ask your employees if they feel at risk in their day to day actions, and help them resolve that problem. That’s the first step toward going beyond compliance for a safer work place, and engaging your employees in making their workplace safer every day.

I’ll cover the other two obligations later this week.

The reason is simple enough – the easier a sign is to read, the less a driver’s attention is taken from the road to read the sign. One of the interesting aspects of this idea is that it applies only to positive contrast signs – light letters on a dark background. In the examples shown here of negative contrast, the Clearview type is possibly less effective than the current standard. It has been recommended that signs with negative contrast remain under the old standard.

The Clearview decision was made in 2004, with an expectation that signs would change over to that font in the following 15 years.

I researched what I could on this topic, and there is a lot of science behind it all, including the studies on the negative contrast. In some areas of government, they might have concluded that until they can find a type style that is more effective in all situations, then they shouldn’t make the change. But in this case, the benefits of changing a majority of the signage outweigh the possibility of a one-type-works-for-all solution.

Will we ever know if this saves lives? Not likely. And since money is spent on new signage routinely (signs get damaged, stolen, or weathered) it does not have a significant financial impact. I’m glad there is some science behind the choice, that our highway engineers are looking for ways to make our roadways just a little bit safer. If you have any exposure to continuous improvement, you realize this is worth looking at.

Do you think signs matter to you? I’m not sure I read them much where I live, and when I am in unfamiliar areas, my GPS pretty much tells me what I need to know. What do you think – will emerging technologies make this a non-solution? Will sign readability not be a critical issue in the future?

I once worked in a paper mill that had a chlorine storage tank. Because of the tank, it was decided that everyone that worked within a certain distance of the tank must pass a fit test for respirators, and could not wear beards as they affected the ability of the respirator to save your life. So imagine how interesting it was to participate in developing a rule that employees could accept, allowing those who already had beards to continue wearing them. Yep, they had the right to refuse the equipment, which in the event of a chlorine leak, would almost certainly lead to intense criticism for allowing employees to make such a ridiculous choice.

At home, no one is advising us. We have to educate ourselves on this. There are certain fundamental things you can (and probably should) do to assure your safety on the home. What seems like an unnecessary expense could be the difference between going to dinner at the end of a chore day or going to the emergency room. So here are a few ideas that I hope you will consider.

1. There are a number of types of gloves available for you to choose. Leather gloves for heavy lifting and rough materials. Cotton gloves with textured palms and fingers. Knit gloves with a waterproof coating that are good for gardening. Vinyl, latex, or synthetic gloves that are impervious to most chemicals, good for handling paints or even picking up after your puppy!
2. Eye protection may be advertised as fashionable, but few would agree. Nevertheless, whether you need goggle type for use around your table saw, or wraparounds when using power equipment in your yard, you can find a pair that meet your needs and can even fit over prescription eye wear. And don’t kid yourself that your regular glasses are “good enough”.
3. As far as ear protection goes, I prefer the small foam type that you compress and then insert in your ear canal. But there are many other types that you can find that include those tied with string and some at the end of a plastic arc that fit behind your neck.

Every task that you do is worth looking at for safety purposes. Can it be done more safely? Is the only thing that is keeping your from that next step the fact that you haven’t bought what you need? The you should prioritze getting those items, use them, and take steps to keep yourself safe.

Thanks, and let’s be careful out there.

It became such an important issue for me that later in my career, when I had a team of about 80 people, I didn’t let a meeting go by without some discussion about safety and the importance of challenging each other over potentially unsafe behavior. One day I began talking about the cost of an accident and one of my people told me he thought that maybe that’s what I was concerned about, saving money. I replied that regardless of what you think of my intent, I offer every employee the opportunity to stop doing work they consider unsafe until we can mutually resolve the issue. How can that be a bad thing?

So at the risk of being all about the money, I recognize that sometimes saving a few bucks is a good motivator for folks. Here are a few ways in which safety can save you money!

1. Practicing good methods around the house with knives, ladders, electricity and stairs can almost guarantee a much smaller chance of heading to the emergency room for a related accident. And under no current or emerging health plan would that be an economical chance to take.
2. Keeping things clean and clutter free not only enhances the value of your home, but reduces the chance of injury and again, those same ER visits.
3. Speaking of clutter, those partially used gallons of paint from all the projects you’ve done over the years could be a problem waiting to happen. Every year or so, someone in your area is having a free disposal day for items just like that. No cost to get rid of them, and no extra fuel for fire or explosion.
4. You know that wobbly old step ladder you got from your grandparents’ house when your father helped them move to a smaller place? It might be the most expensive free thing you have in your house. Throw it away and buy a new one. Yes, this is going to cost you, but think of it as cost avoidance.
5. Have a pest problem in your home? Hire a professional to take care of it. Again, this may sound like a cost, but when you start trying to handle this yourself you are starting by treating the symptom. You may not know where the nest or hive or burrow is. I watched a neighbor go after a hornet’s nest with a power washer one summer evening. It was hanging from a second story eave, just out of reach of the stream, so he imrpovised methods of positioning himself higher. He didn’t get stung at all, but he came so close to falling from the fence he was perched on and it would not have been a minor injury. He was lucky.
6. I know you’ve heard this before, but check tire wear and inflation on all your vehicles regularly. Change those tires before they fail. Don’t wait until the day after the big rain storm when you lost control of the vehicle, do it now.

Safety, like quality, is free. Every dollar spent, along with the right discipline, will save you much more in the long run.

Thanks, and let’s be careful out there!

Anna at abdpbt is responsible for the effort to Fight Listless Mondays. Find other list links on her blog. Her lists and the others linked there always give you something to think about, and may even make you smile!

When there are special events in your home, work patterns change. In particular, there is more time spent in the kitchen preparing, serving, eating and cleaning. The kitchen is full of opportunities for injury, mostly from heat. And those hazards are not just near the stove and the oven. We carry hot pans across a room, or hot soups or teas are carried. The potential for burns is much higher.

Then there are the knives that find their way into a soapy sink. If someone isn’t careful reaching in, they could easily get cut.

This advice seems a little bit late, right?

This is also the time of year when many of us make promises to do things differently. Eat better, exercise more, save more diligently, and to get things into better order. These kinds of resolutions present changes in our day-to-day workflow. The process of how we go about moving through our daily lives. And while change is good, it is also good to look for any potential hazards related to your new plans.

For example, if you are going to rise early to exercise every morning, make sure you are starting with a glass of water and a light snack. Even a small amount of yogurt or a slice of peanut butter toast can effectively help you get through a workout better. Sounds simple, but it is important.

Also related to exercise – if you haven’t been good about it recently, then ease back in. Take time to warm up, stretch, and cool down to minimize the liklihood of injury.

Plan your food intake. If you plan on eating better, don’t just go to the grocery store and buy only fresh produce and things you think are healthy. If you are not already including them in your diet, then it may take you time to get used to bringing them back, and some could easily spoil before you have a chance to consume them all.

Will you be driving at a different time because you will be heading to the gym before or after work? There may be different traffic patterns at that time of day that will require a change in how you drive. It may require more patience, or you may be driving in darker conditions than you are used to.

And don’t forget – lots of other people make decisions to exercise more, and so there will be more runners on the road. They may not be wearing adequate reflective clothing, so watch out for them!

Whatever changes you are planning, I wish you luck in achieving your new goals.

Thanks, and let’s be careful out there.

As we move into the remaining weeks of the year, we tend to participate in activities and work that only occur in the last six weeks. It would be easy to overlook the little things, but it would be a better idea to think about the potential hazards and take the right precautions.

1. Outside decorations. Many people hang lights or other decorations on the outside of their homes. Make sure you use the right type and length of ladder. Don’t overextend it, set it to the right angle, and remember three points of contact.
2. Outdoor electrical decorations. If you have decorations outside, you need to make sure you are using the right electrical wires and plugs. Protect electrical components from moisture and use only items that are approved for outdoors.
3. Indoor electrical decorations. The big things here include running extension cords and plugging too many things into one outlet. Many modern lights and decorations run with cool LED technology, but there are still lots of electrical decorations that run hot. You need to protect against burns and the potential for fire if a hot bulb is too near something flammable.
4. Cut trees. There are several approaches to keeping a cut tree hydrated while you keep it in your home. If you do have a tree and then travel, consider taking the tree out of your home before you leave.
5. Candles. One year we had a fired in our house. My parents had a wood cabinet in the family room, and the top was decorated with pine roping and pillar candles. The pine had dried out and caught fire as one of the candles burned low. The fire was put out before anything burned besides the cabinet. We only burn candles in glass jars now.
6. Traffic. Shopping, errands, airport runs to pick up family, all put you out in traffic more than usual. And frequently at times when traffic is crazier than normal. We don’t go out the day after Thanksgiving anymore. Nothing is happening that can’t wait, and no savings worth the additional hassle. People are stressed, and that’s when they make mistakes.
7. Food. Different kind of watch out here, but this is as important as any. Not only is it important that you manage your calorie intake, but you also need to be paying attention to food handling. Keep preparation surfaces clean, cook meats thoroughly, and use common sense with storage and re-use.

This is a great time of year for so many people, don’t let the energy of the season lead you to take shortcuts or make a mistake that could snowball into a problem.

Thanks, and let’s be careful out there.

Anna at abdpbt is responsible for the effort to Fight Listless Mondays. Find other list links on her blog. Her lists and the others linked there always give you something to think about, and may even make you smile!

Do you consider the number 13 to be unlucky? Or maybe you have an actual fear of the number, which is called triskaidekaphobia. If you do, you wouldn’t be alone. Thirteen is frequently left out when numbering floors in a building or even aisles in an airplane.

Yet there are some who consider this a lucky number. Traditions for luck, both good and bad, go across cultural and religious boundaries, but very few have any scientific or fact basis.

The old saying goes “The harder I work, the luckier I get”. This is absolutely true with safety. Except instead of “hard work” we would probably say “smart work”. If I take on any action in an informed way, I can make better decisions about how to perform that action safely.

So don’t worry that today is Friday the 13th. Your safety and well being is in your hands, not in the determination of a calendar date. Make a decision to not let fate determine your safety. Make informed choices as you go about doing your work, and encourage others to do the same.

Thanks, and let’s be careful out there!

So today’s run was 7 miles, and it’s the first time I’ve been out that long for months. I’ve got a long way to go to be ready for this late-January event, but if I follow the training I will do well.

I ended up with a fair amount of walking breaks today, and it was a good day to just see where my thoughts would take me. They took me to my Dad. He’s been gone for 15 years now, but still with me in so many ways. Since I worked in his factory through college, I’d like to think I got a lot of ideas for safety from him. Truthfully, I got a ton of ideas about life from him. Here are a few that I remembered today.

1. Too much of any one thing is not good for you. That’s so right about so many things. Too much food, too much exercise, too much work, to much play, too much money.  If you have enough that you can say it’s too much, it’s time to course correct somehow. If you happen to be in the “too much money” category, I might have a few ideas to help you out!
2. Be Careful. It was always the last thing he or my Mom said when we left the house. Whether we were teens early in our driving careers or adults visiting from wherever we lived at the time.
3. If we were all the same, we’d all be the same. He really said that, and it has stuck with me. I’m very involved with the diversity and inclusion efforts where I work, and this phrase makes me smile whenever I think of it.
4. Do as I say, not as I do. I think I only actually heard him say this once, but it was implied, especially in regard to swearing.
5. It’s just as easy to like a girl from the west side as it is to like a girl who is from the east side. I grew up in Cleveland, in the western suburbs, and ended up dating a girl who lived in an eastern suburb. It wasn’t a background issue, just a practicality of driving issue. I think I’m even more practical than him – I’ve told my boys that it’s just as easy to fall in love with a rich girl.
6. That’s enough for now. Good advice, and sort of goes with #1. We usually heard this after an afternoon of water skiing when he drove the boat. It’s also good advice for this post!

Do any of your parent’s sayings stay with you today?

And you know mine – Let’s be careful out there!

Anna at abdpbt is responsible for the effort to Fight Listless Mondays. Find other list links on her blog. Her lists and the others linked there always give you something to think about, and may even make you smile!