March 2010 Safety Message

Safety IS a State of Mind

Safety is an intangible concept. One can follow it, record it, and want it; however you cannot touch it. You cannot put it on the table and state “we have safety”. We can have safety programs, standards and procedures however safety still isn’t there. We can point out wrong actions, discipline and we still won’t get it. Safety is a state of the mind. A culture or an atmosphere and a feeling that all is well in the workplace and the worker’s personal well being.

Safety in our workplaces is impacted by many internal and external factors. For example, a worker’s lifestyle impacts safety. Is all well at home, is he or she fit for work; are there financial pressures and burdens? These all affect safety. A worker’s profile or personal life history impacts safety. Are they risk takers, and do they evaluate risks differently than others, do they understand the safety culture, do they have enough experience and training to make the right decisions and do they understand the concept of safety? A person’s workplace impacts safety. Is the workplace a good one, with everything to standard, good equipment, does the worker have to work harder (in their mind) to achieve targets and are they frustrated or low morale because of conditions in the workplace? And finally management and supervision impact safety. Are the standards and procedures the right ones, are they consistent with the work and are they enforced? Is there the commitment from management and supervision and do they talk the talk and walk the walk? Is management and supervision reasonable and proactive?

With so many factors that can impact safety, there is one individual that has to pull all these together and that is the frontline supervisor. A strong interaction between supervisor and workers usually leads to good safety performance. They have to evaluate the workers every day with regards to these factors mentioned above and determine which one might have an influence or part in affecting a worker’s safety.

Many thanks go out to all our supervisors who do everything possible to determine our worker’s state of mind while on the job and helping ensure their work is carried out safely. I am certain this has played a huge part in our safety success over the recent months. Thank you.