Safety From a Kid’s Perspective
“It’s never too early to get kids focused on being safe and keeping the people around them safe.”
Children of DFM Solutions employees used their imagination to think about safety in a Pre-Task Analysis Contest.
What did they create and how did they think safety?
Two Mikes and a Mark
Safety First – Really?
“Of all the platitudes automatically embraced in the workplace … there is none more pervasive, erroneous, overused and dangerous than ‘Safety First!’ … Safety, while always a major consideration, is never the priority. Never. Never, ever.” – Mike Rowe, host of “Dirty Jobs,” Discovery Channel
Read this quote carefully! Do you believe it?
First, we ought to invite Mike to one of our jobsites so he can observe first-hand the emphasis Walbridge places on safety. Sorry Mike (Rowe), but safety is always the top priority at Walbridge.
We will concede this, however: At one time or another, we’ve all seen someone wearing a shirt that says “Safety First” or a hard hat sticker that says “Safety is #1.” But as we observe them further, their actions don’t match the sticker.
This can be a dangerous situation. Some employees think a shirt or a sticker is all it takes to be “safe.” In reality, they may be putting themselves in dangerous situations and the shirt or sticker are merely symbols of what should be an ingrained attitude of safe practices and a safe workplace.
As leaders in the industry it is our responsibility to use every opportunity to educate our workforce and use our recognition programs and our disciplinary action plans to continue making the safety of our workers as our No. 1 priority.
“Safety – it’s more than just a sticker on a hard hat.”
– Two Mikes and a Mark is a series of articles related to safety from Assistant Vice President of Corporate Health, Safety, & Environmental Mark LaClair, Corporate Health, Safety, & Environmental Director Mike Palazzola and Corporate Health, Safety, & Environmental Manager Mike Dawson.
