We hear and see this all the time. There are variations to this mantra, but we all know what they mean. So I ask, can a business ever live up to its mantra, “Safety is #1”?
Some companies have softened their approach and will say, “The safety of our employees is our #1 priority”. We usually hear this right in the PR statement after a tragic accident. I will add this: Those who insist on it are almost always trying to make up for some weakness in their demonstration and commitment to their rhetoric. Those management teams that demonstrate their commitment to their worker’s safety don’t need all the parades and fanfare because the workers can visually see, feel, and hear the safety focus at the facility.
So, where did all these catchphrases in safety come from? They all came from a movement called “affirmations” and started way back in the 17th Century with a French philosopher Rene Descartes who coined the phrase “Cogito, ergo sum” or “I think, therefore I am.” Affirmations are phrases that, when repeated regularly by an individual, they can change negative thoughts and behavior patterns, per the Cleveland Clinic.
