Faster or safer?

When it comes to safety in the workplace, the answer is clear; safety, of course. I would guess we are all in agreement on that one. How well do we practice it? Let me explain. Everyone today is in a hurry; rush, faster, time is money. There is a lot of pressure to complete tasks in less time that it normally should take.  At those times, how many of us are tempted to take a short-cut?

For example, how many times have you crossed in the middle of the street because you didn’t want to wait for the light to change at the intersection? How many times have you gone into the plant without your safety goggles because they were in your office and you didn’t want to take the time to go get them?  Or say you need to get something off a top shelf and you don’t have a ladder handy. Do you take the time to get the ladder or do you try to climb up on the shelves? Or, how many times have you used the wrong tool on a job because it would take too long to get the right one?

In all these situations there’s that decisive moment when we choose to roll the dice or play it safe. Play it safe! Shortcuts create potentially dangerous situations; can result in accidents, mistakes, serious injuries, equipment and product damage, lost time and money and even worse. It’s not worth it.

Policies and procedures are in place for a reason. Follow them. The need to work fast should not override the need to work safe. Those few extra minutes it takes to do it the right way could save a life.

As Beverly Sills once said, “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” Be safe.

Posted by MJ Thomas