Tool Box Talk: Safety, Haste Makes Waste

We are all expected to conduct our tasks in an efficient manner; however, we are also expected to do so “Safely.”

A man by the name of Louis Binstock once said, “Too often the shortcut, the line of least resistance, is responsible for evanescent and unsatisfactory success.”

Simply put, taking shortcuts only results in success for a short duration of time.

It’s human nature to want to get a job done as quickly as possible.

Getting a task done in a hurry gives you:

• the ability to start your next task sooner
• in some cases, more time to do other things that may be more enjoyable

Many of us also grew up being told that it’s important to accomplish as much as we can.

But what we often aren’t told is that rushing can result in accidents, errors, and more time spent in the long run.

We need to do our jobs  correctly and safely.

What happens when we hurry??

• Rushing to get our jobs done can result in injury to ourselves and those around us.
• Statistics from one insurance company show that 92 percent of the time, the reason accidents occur is because workers aren’t doing their tasks properly.
• Being in a rush makes it unlikely you will perform your task as you should.

Among the consequences of being in too much of a hurry are:

• accidents involving yourself and co-workers
• mistakes which can result in unhappy customers
• the need to redo a task you thought was already done
• product damage or loss

Rushing can also have long-term consequences. These include:

• serious injury and long-term pain
• costly medical bills
• the possibility of a disabling injury, which could put you out of work
• the loss of income from being out of work

Working carefully and deliberately gives you time to think about potential hazards and getting the job done right.

Always putting safety first will help you not be in a rush.

We must eliminate this intrinsic need to take shortcuts, but how?

Well, we need to allow ourselves enough time to do the job at a safe pace, especially when starting a new job or working in an unfamiliar environment.

Just because you’ve done something a “thousand times” doesn’t mean you’re impervious to an accident or injury, so don’t improvise to save time.

Going through a daily checklist and having all the proper tools and safety equipment on hand in advance are just a few ways to save time.

It is our responsibility to avoid any potentially dangerous or unsafe job practices.

Take the time to lock out/tag out equipment, use fall protection, follow safe ladder procedures and use PPE and the proper tools for the job.

This requires planning ahead.

And a bonus quote from William J. Bennett:

“There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes.”

Thanks to the share, TO!