| Now that the Movie the Secret has been | | | | time finding just what was the cause of the drop |
| featured on Oprah, I am sure it will be getting | | | | in injuries. They will often pick one item from the |
| even more attention. So how can you apply the | | | | program and try to implement it corporate wide. |
| principles of "The Secret" to workplace safety? | | | | Usually to the ire of other safety professionals. |
| When I worked as the safety directory for a | | | | Now that I understand the law of attraction, I can |
| converting operation that was part of a major | | | | point you to some factors that will improve any |
| corporation, I was always frustrated at the | | | | safety program: |
| negative approach that was taken toward safety. | | | | 1. Create a positive atmosphere where people |
| When I had one of my maintenance workers | | | | enjoy working. This goes against the instincts of |
| injured while trying to implement a safety | | | | many mangers, but it will not only reduce injuries, |
| suggestion, I knew that we were taking the | | | | but will also improve productivity. |
| wrong path to creating a safe workplace. | | | | 2. Promote a feeling of safety. Teach people the |
| Long before I knew about the law of attraction | | | | right way to do a job so that they will not be |
| or any of those concepts, I knew that wherever | | | | subject to hazards. Don't tell the how to avoid |
| we put our focus, we got more of it. When we | | | | injury. Tell them how to do the job safely. |
| focused on accidents, we got more accidents. | | | | 3. Expect employees to work safely. Many safety |
| Even if we thought we were trying to prevent | | | | directors seem to take joy in catching people |
| them. | | | | without their safety gear. Handing out STOP |
| Almost every safety program that I have studied | | | | cards and petty fines only adds to the vibration |
| has shown an increase in TCIR or whatever | | | | of unsafeness. |
| measurement is used during the first few months | | | | 4. Design safety into machines and work practices |
| of implementing the plan. This spike is usually | | | | from the start. A well designed machine and |
| blamed on people reporting accidents that they | | | | efficient work practices will promote doing a job |
| once ignored and other factors. However, the law | | | | safely and efficiently. There will be no reason for |
| of attraction explains it clearly - what you think | | | | an employee to look for an unsafe shortcut if the |
| about expands. | | | | proper procedure works like it is supposed to. |
| It usually takes a while for a safety program to | | | | 5. Make sure employees know that you care by |
| mature to the point where you stop focusing on | | | | maintaining that safe work environment |
| accidents and removing hazards and start | | | | consistently. Nothing is worse than having safety |
| focusing on designing a safe and healthy work | | | | being thought of as "the flavor of the month" until |
| environment. | | | | the next accident. |
| Once that shift in focus occurs, the injury rate | | | | These five simple steps can be the key to not |
| seems to magically go down. For those still using a | | | | only reducing your injury rates but also to |
| cause and effect model of life, they have a hard | | | | creating a more profitable workplace as well. |