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!