WHY

I do not understand WHY leaders chose not to support safety.  It is a proven fact that organizations with superb safety programs and outstanding safety results have better operating metrics (scrap, productivity, etc) than those organizations that don’t.   In other words – if you can get safety right, you will get everything else right.

Is it that leaders do not understand safety?   Is it that leaders do not see value in safety?  Is it that leaders think safety is a waste of time?   Is it that leaders think safety takes too much time?    Or is it a combination of all of these items?   As leaders, we have an obligation to provide a safe workplace to all of our employees.    Certainly leaders who chose not to support safety, chose not to take their obligations seriously.   Leaders need to understand that safety can be their key to driving world class results – if you can get safety right, you will get everything else right.

There was an old business saying that is very applicable here – “If you can’t change the leader, change the leader”.    If leaders chose not to support safety, it’s time change the leader.    WHY?   Because safety is the most important aspect of any organization!

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434

SPOT

Look around – can you SPOT one thing that is not safe?    What if everybody could SPOT one thing that is not safe each and every day?    Wouldn’t we be so much better off?

I find that employees do SPOT things that are not safe but typically do not say anything.   Why?  First, they believe that nothing will be done about it.   Second, they feel it’s not their job, and third, they feel that somebody else will take care of it.    How do we change this going forward?

If we have leaders (managers, supervisors, leads, etc) that will do nothing about something that is not safe – it’s time to get new leaders!    Safety should be the first priority of any leader.   We have an obligation to provide a safe workplace.   Any safety issue – no matter how minor – needs to be addressed.    We need to ensure that every employee feels comfortable reporting any safety issue that they SPOT.

We need to change our culture.   We need every employee to understand that safety is their job.   We want every employee to go home in the same condition that they came to work.  We want every employee to understand that it’s their responsibility to report any safety issue that they SPOT, no matter how minor.  We need to create a culture where it is unacceptable to not report it.

This is  a really a simple concept – it just requires trust and accountability.   I am going to encourage every employee to SPOT one thing that is not safe each day – what about you?

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434

EMERGENCY EXIT

I was recently flying to the west coast on one of American Airlines new 737’s.   I normally try to get an aisle seat but this was a fairly full flight and I ended up with a window seat one row behind the emergency exit.   I had the window closed most of the flight until we were descending.   I opened the window and was looking out – at nothing in particular – when I noticed that American had painted the escape path on the wing for anyone having to leave through the EMERGENCY EXIT.  Further, I noticed that the escape path was painted with anti-slip paint (you know the gritty stuff).   I thought to myself – that’s a brilliant idea – American Airlines went the extra mile!

I applaud American Airlines for making the EMERGENCY EXIT more safe by having anti-skid paint.   How can you make the EMERGENCY EXIT at your workplace more safe?

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434

TOP 10 SAFETY VIOLATIONS

This morning OSHA unveiled the TOP 10 SAFETY VIOLATIONS of 2012 thus far.   Can you guess what were the top 3 items?

If you guessed Fall Protection, Hazard Communication and Scaffolding you would be correct.   Here is the complete list of all 10 items.  Yes – Fall Protection leads the list again.   Even though there has been a concerted effort to heighten awareness, it seems like many employers are ignoring this important aspect of their safety program.   As employers, we have an obligation to provide a safe working environment.  It is unacceptable for any employee to get injured on the job – no matter how minor.

I am going to review the listing of TOP 10 SAFETY VIOLATIONS and ensure that we are complying with each of these items – what about you?

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434

CAR CRASH

I was going to get the registration for a vehicle at 8:30 on Monday morning.   I was heading southbound on a major road and traffic was heavy.   I was driving in the left lane (car #1)   Traffic was backed up approximately 1/4 of a mile at  a red light.    I pulled up along car #2 to allow car #3 to enter the shopping center.   Car #3 neglected to see car #4 approaching at approximately 30 miles per hour.  POW – there was a CAR CRASH!  Here is a diagram:

Air bags deployed in both cars.  Thankfully, nobody was injured.  Both cars were completely totaled.  Upon impact – my first reaction was to help and make sure that both people were OK.   The guy in the car next to me beat me to it.  I did the next best thing – dialed 9-1-1 to get the professionals on site.   As everything was occurring, it is wise to keep a level head and not panic.   A few minutes later the fire truck, ambulance, and police were on the scene.   After calling 9-1-1, I let both drivers know that help has been called.

A CAR CRASH can be a very ugly situation.   Everyone should know what to do in case you see one occur.   I am prepared – what about you?

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434

PASSION

When it comes to safety – you need to have PASSION.   Employees know when you are going through the motions and “just complying” or “checking the boxes”.   When you inject PASSION into what you are doing – you are a believer and it shows – others start to become believers as well – others start to have safety PASSION.  This is how we create the right safety culture.

We don’t have to have all the answers – we just need the PASSION to find them.   How often do we come across the manager who knows everything?  The manager who has done it all?   This is the same guy who rules with an iron fist and employs the “my way or the highway approach”.   You will be hard pressed to find PASSION in this style of management.  Rather, this style of management is more prone to politics and excuses.

I encourage you to display true PASSION at your next safety meeting.   Watch out – it will become contagious!

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434

9-11

Today is Patriot Day – September 11th.   It’s hard to imagine that it has been 12 years since the events on the morning of 9-11-01.   How much our world has changed as a result of this tragic day.

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434

NFL

The 2013 NFL season starts tomorrow.  Many people can’t wait for the season to start (myself included).   Safety is a lot like any of the teams in the NFL – you need practice, gameplans, leadership, teamwork, communication, protection, rules, PPE, etc to be successful.    If you are lacking any of theses items, you will not be successful.   Why aren’t we as excited about safety?

I want everyone as excited about safety as they are about the NFL – what do you think?

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434

GOOGLE GLASSES

I was on my way back to Dallas from Denver last Friday and was taking the train to my terminal.   A gentleman jumped on the train as the doors were closing – he was wearing GOOGLE GLASSES.   A couple of weeks before this, I saw a news article about this technology and how doctors are using this during surgery.   They are able to see the patients vital signs without looking away from their task at hand.   I asked this guy on the train about his GOOGLE GLASSES.   He told me that he was in the technology field and loves them.   He told me he can voice text and see everything right in front of him.

My brief conversation got me wondering how GOOGLE GLASSES  will make our world a safer place – how distractions will be eliminated.   People will never have to take their eyes off the road to talk, text or e-mail.   While I don’t agree with texting or emailing while driving, it is exponentially better and safer using GOOGLE GLASSES rather than the traditional method.

I’m a supporter of technology and GOOGLE GLASSES as it relates to safety – what about you?

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434

FALL PROTECTION

Last saturday morning I attended my son’s middle school football scrimmage.   There was a parent that was filming the scrimmage for our coach from the top row of the stands.    Evidently, the stands were not tall enough or there was a better angle to film the scrimmage from the roof of the adjacent gym.   The “film crew” from both teams managed to move and set up their cameras from the roof the the gym.   Now there were 6 guys standing on the roof – two filming and four helping.    I looked at these guys and immediately thought of FALL PROTECTION.   My first thought was not “That’s great that these guys are helping out the team” or “That’s going to be a great angle for the coach to review the scrimmage”.  No, my first thought was “There are these guys up 30 feet in the air with no railing or no safety harness – where is their FALL PROTECTION!”.   Further, I even pointed out to my daughter that these guys, the “film crew”, were taking unnecessary risks and breaking the new fall protection rules.   My daughter rolled her eyes and tuned me out – typical 19 year old!

Do you always think about safety?    Are you aware of risky behavior of others?   Do you look at safety outside of work?

Isn’t this what we are trying to achieve in the safety world?   I am proud of myself for thinking like this – what about you?

STAY SAFE!     **  Jeff  **   214-215-2434