Did you take a shortcut today?

Larry (from OSHA)

of the fragility of life lately and it got me to thinking about just how often we do things that might not be in our best interest. I've gotten to know a man that I never met, but wish that I had. He was just like you, or how I would like to be. Worked for the same outfit for thirty years and would gladly do anything for anyone that asked. He had been in the habit of doing some volunteer maintenance type work for his church for the last twenty years or so and that is where he was when he died.

We get very used to doing stuff one way or an other and usually don't give much thought to the what ifs. I've seen that in the blink of an eye, one shortcut can be our last. I can't go into any details about this because it is way too fresh, but I seem to need to share this and quite frankly, I just can't think of a better group of people to tell this to.

At a company here in Minnesota that I know of, they have a long standing safety policy that includes actively thinking about one thing before anyone does anything. It goes something like this: "Is what I am about to do have the potential to hurt me or anyone else?"

It's pretty simple, but if a person really thinks this thought, they have a better chance of avoiding getting hurt or creating a situation where a co-worker could get hurt. That company has I think about fifty or so employees, and has not had a lost time injury in I believe over five years. They are in what we call a high hazard industry and live by the words above.

Have you or anyone you know ever said this: "We don't do it this way very often, if we don't have to." "I know it's not the right way to do it, but we don't have the right equipment." "We've always done it that way." "I didn't have time to do it the right (safe)way."

I could go on but I've probably worn out my welcome here with this. I think perhaps that most of you here don't get into situations that could kill you that often, but maybe your brother or cousin or son does. Please take a moment and have a kind thought for this fellow that I have not met, and then take a moment and think about how you can prevent a tragedy by reminding someone to think about how they might get hurt by doing what they are about to do.

Thank you very much for allowing me to share my thoughts, such as they are.

Larry (from OSHA)

Keith_8

Thank You

For sharing your thoughts.

We all have memories of potential situations that could have turned out worse than they did.

But for the Grace of God.

Keith