Tool Box Talks

A Single Second and a Positive Attitude

It takes a minute to write a safety rule.

It takes an hour to hold a safety meeting.

It takes a week to plan a good safety program.

It takes a month to put that program into operation.

It takes a year to win a safety award.

It takes a lifetime to make a safe worker.

But it takes only a second to destroy it all – with one accident.

A Positive Attitude

What is your attitude toward safety? When asked, some may say they are all for it. Others may complain about any safety effort being made.

The difference between the two is one of attitude. Your attitude affects almost all that you do and how you do it.

Have you ever noticed that people who are successful in life, or are just happy, tend to have a positive attitude?

And so it is with safety. Look at it this way… safety rules and procedures are written to protect you from harm.

They are not written to make your work life more uncomfortable or inconvenient.

After all, safety equipment and training costs your employer additional up front money.

If you cooperate in safety matters, not only is there a lesser likelihood of you getting hurt, you should feel more confident on the job knowing you have a better chance of making it thorough the day without injury.

The Safest Person

Ask yourself this question, “Who is the safest person I know?” Did you name someone you used to work with or perhaps someone you work with now?

Many people do. The answer should be, “me.” If you can’t say you are the safest person you know, then you might want to think about what it means to make safety a personal thing.

Can A Company Be Safe?

If you talk to executives, managers, and employees about safety, often they will say, ‘We have a safe company.”

Making that statement shows a great attitude and a high level of confidence. But how can a company “be safe”?

To “be safe” one must show safe behavior. Although a company can promote safety by having a functional safety management process, it doesn’t really mean anything unless the people behave safe.

So what does it mean to “be safe” and “be the safest person you know”?

The key to making your answer, “me” when asked, “Who is the safest person you know” is commitment.

To show your commitment to safety, begin to Do It Safely! This is harder than you think but the ultimate payoff is far reaching.

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; noting on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” W. W. Ziege

Thanks, TO