Most managers honestly do not want to see anyone get injured, but most of them have never seen what a fully functioning “safety management system” actually looks like and what it actually takes to have some level of assurance that injury prevention efforts are real. Both “Claude” and “Dale” opened my eyes up to a truth that I was oblivious to as a young and passionate safety professional:
Safety does not come naturally!
I think most senior safety professionals would agree with that statement. Humans are naturally risk takers and in business, this is viewed as a MUST HAVE trait to be successful. Pick up any entrepreneur business book and you will read all about “taking risks” and how those who are highly successful in business were “risk takers”. I have come to believe, with the help of my senior mentors, that this kind of “business education” is the view that many business managers carry into their view of safety.
We (safety professionals) sit on the other end of the risk spectrum! And it is this gap in risk tolerances that drive the two groups to battle on a daily basis. Narrowing this gap is the key to allowing our passion for helping others work safely and allowing the business the thrive. But how does one close this gap? And will we ever be able to eliminate this gap?
