Carl and Deb Potter

The commercial for a well-known credit card has background singers proclaiming, “I want it now! I want it now!” The ad is all about using the credit card to get whatever you want right now.  If you could buy safety in your organization, wouldn’t you? Sometimes, it seems that even if we could buy it, safety is elusive.

It’s deeply troubling when we investigate or read about incidents where workers are seriously or fatally injured. It’s devastating when it happens in our own workplace. The common question is: what went wrong?

Did you ever play the game “20 Questions” as a kid? Maybe your mom liked to ask you questions such as “Where were you?” “Who were you with?” “Do you know what time it is?” Most of us don’t like to be hammered with questions - but we do like to give our opinions. Great leaders understand that about people, and work to find ways to ask questions that invite input and stimulate dialog. When it comes to safety, leaders can use questions to gain significant insight into the state of the organization.

Many company leaders and managers wonder, “Are we talking about safety too much?” The answer: “No one knows but you.” The fact is that it’s important to talk about safety, because injuries are a concern for everyone. Consider this: how can you talk about safety in such a way that your employees don’t get sick of hearing about it, and therefore stop listening?

Two Philosophies About Incentives
One of the great debates in workplace safety today is the role of incentives. Two philosophies seem to exist. One says that workers will not work safe unless we give them incentives to do so. The other says that incentives should not be required for workers to do their jobs without injury. Interestingly, safety and operational supervisors, managers, and directors who are working hard to find a way to focus employees on reducing injuries fuel the debate.