I stopped by the BC Safety Charter Roundtable in Vancouver on Nov 29 and heard an interesting group exercise. Dr. Graham Lowe, speaking on leadership and trust, asked his audience of CEOs and senior managers “to write down two simple actions you will take this week to build trust” with their workers. Then he asked for volunteers to read them aloud.
By now, readers in Northern BC have probably seen two new TV ads about workplace safety from SHARP (Safety Health Awareness Research Program). One of the ads deals with lockout and other depicts the risks posed by working under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Not everyone understands what it’s like to lose a loved one. I do – and that’s why I want to tell you about the efforts of Metro Vancouver’s Steps For Life organizing committee and volunteers who help families left behind after workplace tragedies.
“If you learn something but don’t share it with anyone, it does no good,” says a man who attributes his workplace injury to his attitude and the idea that “it could never happen to me.”
Fit For Snow– created by Delia Roberts – is a resource for “folks who work at snow sport areas, to help them improve their on-snow performance and reduce their risk of injury.”
I went to the 2012 Safety Forum and Luncheon on October 25, 2012 at Newlands Golf and Country Club in Langley. Read more about who won and what it says about safety culture in BC.
“Word of mouth travels fast in social media circles so it is a really good way to access a lot of people at once,” says this communications manager from the BC Construction Safety Alliance, spreading the word re: Bridging the Gap conference Nov 22-24.
Recently I was sitting inside – writing about safety – and I kept hearing mega-splashes on the road. I realized, from the sound, that the leaves had clogged the drain on the road, which could lead to hydroplaning. When the cars came to a stop at the pedestrian light, I looked around carefully, went to the edge of the road, and stabbed the end of the broom into the slimey blob of leaves blocking the drain grate. The mini-lake drained instantly, bubbling and swirling down into the sewer. I went inside and got back to work – feeling most satisfied about my little safety fix.
“When an incident occurs in the workplace, a common reaction is to look for somewhere to place blame. It’s more important and productive to look for reasons why the incident happened and what can be done to prevent it from recurring.”
This video tells the story of how a man’s injury shaped the way he deals with safety as the owner of a company. See what WorkSafe Montana says about the power of safety culture.
