Humans instinctively seek to avoid pain and death. And yet, we may behave in a manner that is a threat to our well-being. There are a couple of reasons why this occurs. The first is lack of knowledge. What you do not know can hurt you! The second reason we may act in a risky manner is attitude. Now might be a good time to do a quick self-analysis. 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 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 people from harm. They are not written to make work life more uncomfortable or inconvenient. After all, safety equipment and training costs additional upfront money.
If people cooperate in safety matters, not only is there a lesser likelihood of injury, there will be much less of a struggle between you and your team. In addition, your people should feel more confident on the job knowing you have a better chance of making it through the day without injury. Less fear of injury has to brighten your day!
We are not perfect. Even the best of us can forget or make errors in judgment. To maximize our safety efforts, we must look out for one another. If someone isn’t working in a safe manner, don’t be afraid to mention it to them. Let them know you’re strictly looking out for their well-being. You’ll likely find that people will be thankful that you’re looking out for them. In some cases, they may not have realized they were jeopardizing their safety. Just be certain to be diplomatic when pointing out someone’s unsafe behavior—treat others as you’d like to be treated.
Remember, attitude affects behavior. If everyone has a positive attitude, odds are they will exhibit safe behavior. A negative attitude toward safety will only cause conflict, stress, and ultimately an accident.