Lies, Half-Truths, and Misconceptions: Challenges Safety Leaders Face

Have ever heard people in your workplace make statements about safety that just don't ring true? Often these are not "lies" or "half-truths," they are simple misunderstandings rooted in unsubstantiated beliefs. Safety leaders must be able to face misconceptions that may be thwart the progress of achieving a zero-injury workplace. The common misconceptions are worthy of a reality check.

Misconception #1: You cannot create a hazard-free workplace
The Reality Check: Hazards can be identified and controlled. Discipline and dedication are required to recognize and mitigate every hazard. Hazard recognition and control requires learning to be situationally aware of hazards and understanding the sources of hazards: energy, environment, equipment, and employees (people who are untrained in their jobs and are unwilling to behave safely) requires diligence. Beyond that, a willingness to take action to mitigate hazards must exist among all employees.

Misconception #2: Being safe takes too much time and money.
The Reality Check: Safety cost/benefit should include the cost of human suffering. Of course, no company or organization has an unlimited supply of time or money. However, the cost of pain and agony that an injury causes should be enough to make anyone do everything they can to stay safe with the available resources. When making a decision about safety expenditures, stop and consider the direct and indirect costs of even a minor injury. Add it up – lost time of the injured, lost time required by others to attend to the injured, and medical costs alone can be thousands of dollars for a "simple" injury. Imagine the paperwork required!

Misconception #3: Accidents just happen
The Reality Check: You have great control over the circumstances around you. Having a fatalistic view of the world takes away personal power. The reality is that each individual has a great deal of power and control over circumstances and situations around them. Workers and leaders must understand the importance of knowing how to prevent personal injuries. When conducting a job briefing, risk can be reduced by taking time to identify any hazards, then mitigating and controlling them. When people believe they have no control, they will likely miss a hazard and, in turn, miss preparing themselves to prevent every injury. Engagement in the hazard recognition and control process is the key to injury prevention.

Safety Leadership Requires Action
A leader is one who knows how to rally the people behind a cause and is willing to walk the talk. Employees want a leader who will challenge them to continually be better at working safe: a leader who says, "I don't want you to get hurt producing, transmitting, or distributing our product, and I am willing to work with you to make sure that happens." Creating a workplace that targets zero injuries is not a gimmick or a new safety program; rather, the workplace becomes one where everyone cares enough to engage in the safety process. To create such a workplace, organizations need leaders at all levels. Consider the actions you will take to engage and challenge the people you work with. Start today to make your workplace one where it's difficult to get hurt.

Carl Potter, is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) who presents his motivational safety message to audiences across the United States. In addition, he is the author of more than a dozen safety books, is the founder of the Safety Institute, and is an Aircraft Commander and Safety Officer for the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. He is considered an expert in training personnel in the hazard recognition and control process. To learn more about Carl Potter and how he might work with your organization to create a workplace where it is difficult to get hurt, visit www.carlpotter.com. You can email him directly with questions and comments at [email protected].

Posted by Carl Potter on Mar 07, 2016