Work Smart Work Safe
Keep your "Heads Up" and trust your gut!

As someone who works for a company in an industry where accidents can easily happen, I have seen the pride and punishment when it comes to safety. It is unfortunate, in some cases, the strict measures that need to be taken in response to careless behaviour in order to ensure a safer environment for our community. Unfortunate because the mistakes that are being made could have been prevented with the simplest of actions.

On the other hand, I have also seen the pride when those proper steps are being taken to put those preventative procedures into place. For example, just recently we celebrated going an entire year without lost time due to injury. Announcements were made, notices went up, rewards were given and everyone in the company was affected. Even those in the administrative department I work in voiced how impressed and proud they were.

It just goes to show that when mistakes are made, it is not just those making the mistakes that are affected. The wellbeing of the entire company and community depend on the actions being taken by any one individual or group. It is those who take the time to care about the consequences of their actions that deserve recognition.

Safety begins with understanding. It is when you realize that the actions you take directly affect the people around you, and therefore start to take the appropriate actions to ensure their safety, that you are truly serious about your job.  It does not matter how permanent or temporary your position is; you must maintain a professional and serious manner.

Saving lives means being selfless.

- By Miranda Nobbs (@MNobbers, http://pumama.tumblr.com/)