How Safe Do You Work … When You Know No One is Looking?

There is a famous quote which defines character as “What you do when you know no one is looking.”

Successful safety programs usually earn their results in much the same way, by everyone working safely and following safety rules all the time, even at times when employees know no one, especially a supervisor, is looking.

Think About What a Safety Program Is Really About

A successful safety program is really about just one thing –preventing accidents.

Preventing accidents is at the core of why OSHA was put into law, why companies have elaborate safety policies and manuals, and why so much time is spent on safety training.

So in essence, OSH, our company safety manual and all the safety training we perform has but one real goal – to keep employees from getting hurt.

We can’t achieve that goal without YOU! The bottom line regarding our safety program, policies and, most importantly, accident prevention is you! You are your own best safety policy and program.

Most of the work you do will be done without a supervisor looking over your shoulder. If you break a safety rule, you’ll not likely be seen. But think about it – You’ll also be the one who gets hurt.

The company is paying you to do your job well and to do it safely. The company is not paying you to take silly risks to save a second or two.

Listen to your safety training. Follow the rules in your company safety program. They’re all about making you your own best safety policy.

So the next time you know you’re working alone, and you’ve got a decision to make about taking a safety shortcut – show you’ve got character and work safely.