The Easiest Part of Being Safe
I grew up in a time when cars had metal dashboards, no seatbelts and the speed limit on some Canadian highways was 115km/hr. This was before the majority of safety features we take for granted today were introduced. I also remember hearing about a distant cousin who was involved in a collision, on a warm Texas day with the windows rolled down, holding her baby in her arms. The baby flew out the window and tragically didn’t survive. Remembering back, to this day, it still bothers me. The baby probably knew nothing, dying instantly. The mother, the father, the grandparents, friends, other parents were obviously all affected. To what degree and how long, I could only imagine. I grieved more for the mother on an innocent ride, trying to get some cool air. Back then, in the 70’s, only the rich had air conditioning.
Today, when it comes to safety, we are all rich. Yes, safety has become an industry. Yes accidents still happen. Yes people still get injured, some seriously, and some even die. Yes safety can seem to be intrusive and not perfect. Today, in contrast to the 70’s and before, potential accidents and injuries are way down through education, practices and products. Situations that may have caused debilitating injuries or death in the past are constantly being mitigated.
Safety, however, today can be summed up in one word: Attitude. Being flippant, passive and apathetic could affect not only you, but the well-being and safety of your coworkers. If you get hurt or tragically injured it could have devastating effects on many people. Caring about safety is the easiest part of avoiding injury and accident.
You are the most important person to someone, really important to others and can touch the lives of many you may not know. Your attitude towards safety could change the lives of all of these people in either a positive or negative way. The choice is yours.
