'Broken Tools Can Be Replaced - You Can't' When you take a good, hard look at the downsides, there's just no comparing the two: safety is always the least painful option. They also have a lasting impact on their families and colleagues. But that small downside is nothing compared to the hurt and suffering (both physical and emotional) that comes with serious injuries or occupational illnesses.Īccidents, moreover, don't just hurt injured workers. Hazard control measures, including PPE and protective clothing, might seem inconvenient at times. When the outcome could be serious injury or death, play it safe and never roll the dice – no matter how good the odds seem. This slogan reminds workers that unnecessary risks aren't worth taking. So, they'll often weigh the odds and take risks ('If I don't do the Lockout/Tagout procedure, probably no one will get hurt').īut even when there's a low probability of harm, it can happen at any time. But most of the time, workers engaging in unsafe work practices will emerge unharmed. It would be easy to get workers to strictly follow safety protocols if there was a 100% chance of injury with every incident. 'When You Gamble with Safety, You Bet Your Life' Slogans like this one help workers keep these long-term and often invisible health hazards in mind. It's easier to get complacent about the risk of developing a respiratory condition from exposure to toxic fumes. The thought of getting our hand caught under a circular saw is viscerally frightening, and we take steps to make sure it doesn't happen. Whether you spend those in good health or suffering from health conditions will make a big difference to your well-being.īut too often, we tend to focus on the physical dangers in the workplace and forget about protecting our health. If you're fortunate, you have decades of your life ahead of you. 'Your Good Health Is Your Greatest Wealth' This slogan reminds supervisors and co-workers alike that taking the time to demonstrate something – including safe work practices – makes it far more engaging than simply giving a set of instructions. Most of us don't respond all that well to being told what to do, but we're very receptive to emulating others and learning by example (learn about Enhancing Safety Culture through Mentorship Programs). We should never forget the power of coaching and mentorship. Reminding them that their fall protection gear might very well save their lives could make all the difference. When workers choose not to wear their fall protection equipment (or don't take the time to inspect or properly don it), they are taking on an extreme risk. The chances of being fatally injured from a fall are high, even at heights that don't seem very dangerous. This slogan reminds them that the plan is there for a reason: to avoid facing hazards workers are not fully prepared to deal with.

We all know safety doesn't happen by accident, so it's important to thoroughly plan work activities to ensure that all risks are managed.īut workers, especially once they get comfortable with their job, can sometimes go 'off script' and deviate from that careful planning. Giving workers and quick and pithy reminder that their hearing and well-being are on the line makes it more likely that they will wear hearing protection. When it comes to managing risks, many workers focus on those that result in acute injuries and illnesses, but neglect those that lead to chronic conditions later in life, including noise-induced hearing loss (learn more about Noise: The Safety Hazard 22 Million Workers Are Exposed to Every Year). The ramifications of both short- and long-term exposure to high noise levels can be serious, but they're often only detected years after working around noise hazards.

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