An important way to help prevent accidents is to report any safety incidents that occur. When accidents are reported, they can be investigated and the problems that caused them can be corrected. But when incidents go unreported, things don’t get fixed, and the same situation could occur again. The bad news is that people sometimes fail to report incidents because:
- They don’t want to get blamed. People don’t want to get into trouble or get co-workers in trouble. But remember that the reason for looking into safety problems isn’t to blame people, it’s to eliminate hazards.
- They don’t think it is important enough to mention. If no one was hurt and there was no damage, then what’s the point of reporting an incident, right? Wrong! Next time somebody could get hurt.
- They don’t want to take the time to “get involved.” People think they’re too busy to waste time reporting an incident as long as nobody was hurt. Or they figure that if the accident didn’t actually happen to them, they’re not involved.
It’s somebody else’s problem. But accident prevention doesn’t work that way.
Everybody has to get involved. Otherwise the next accident victim could be you.
Do you know how to prevent accidents?
Test your knowledge about preventing workplace accidents by choosing T (True) or F (False) for these statements:
- Most accidents are caused by unsafe conditions. T_ F_
- If you see a hazard you can’t fix, report it when you have a break or at the end of your shift. T_ F_
- If you’re not sure how to do something, try to figure it out yourself before asking. T_ F_
- It’s safe to take occasional shortcuts if you’ve been doing a job for a long time. T _ F_
- It’s best not to think about what could go wrong as you work; have the confidence that if you’re careful, nothing will go wrong. T _ F_
- If you’ve been on the job for a while, you shouldn’t have to ask a lot of safety questions. T_ F_
- It’s management’s responsibility to prevent workplace accidents, not yours. T_ F_
- You can prevent most accidents by keeping alert to hazards and paying careful attention to your work. T_ F_
- Being involved in an accident at work is really a matter of chance—being in the wrong place at the wrong time. T_ F_
- It’s a good idea to inspect your work area, materials, and equipment each day before you begin working to make sure they’re safe. T _ F_
“Develop serenity and quiet attitudes through your conversation. Depending on the words we use and the tone in which we use them, we can talk ourselves into being nervous, highly strung and upset. By our speech, we can also achieve quiet reactions. Talk peaceful to be peaceful.” Norman Vincent Peale