Loading ...October, 2009
Memories of a Survivor
Editor’s Note: I received this note in response to the story about the Aberfan landslide that ran in Wednesday’s newsletter. The gentleman comes from South Wales and was living near Aberfan when the tragedy occurred. I’d like to share his recollections and reflections with you.
*****
I still live in Wales, in a town called Briton Ferry, [...]
6 Ways to Break Bad Habits
Bad habits in the workplace are devastating to relationships, productivity, reputations and ultimately jobs. But bad habits are hard to break. According to a new survey, 98% of people who make an effort to break a bad habit fail. The reason: They rely on one “magic bullet” solution.
Why One Strategy Isn’t Enough to Break a [...]
A Call for Ideas
Safety professionals have no creativity.
I hear that a lot, especially during my Spice It Up! talk when I ask the audience for creative ways to connect themes that aren’t normally connected, e.g., cockroaches to symbolize boring safety meetings or fishing as a metaphor for bloodborne pathogen dangers. And, of course, most of the folks who [...]
How to Talk to Your New Boss
Knowing how to communicate effectively is an art, whether you’re trying to smooth troubled marital waters or receive a little extra help around the house from your teenager. At work, part of being a good supervisor involves being able to communicate well not only with your workers, but also with your boss.
10 Ways to Communicate [...]
True experiences that trainers would like to forget
Hammer Time
Several years ago, while I was working at a large refinery in southwest Louisiana, we invited a salesperson onsite to demonstrate a new cool-vest to guard against heat stress. The vest had small gel-filled plastic packs that fit into pockets when worn and could be frozen in a regular freezer and replaced when they [...]
A Primer on Integrated Management Systems
What is an integrated management system and why does a company need one? Those are a couple of questions I plan to address in a soon-to-be-published book I co-wrote with Terri Andrews. Here’s a little overview of what we discuss in the book.
What Is an Integrated Management System?
Simply stated, an integrated management system is the [...]
The Aberfan Landslide: October 21, 1966
Until 1966, very few people outside of South Wales had ever heard of Aberfan. But the horror that unfolded over the course of 5 minutes on the morning of October 21, 1966 would bring the peaceful Welsh village to international attention.
The tragedy was literally five decades in the build-up. Over those 50 years, coal mining [...]
Weird Safety Tips
Over the years, we’ve all picked up miscellaneous safety tips. They can add a bit of spice to a safety meeting or newsletter. Let me share 10 off-the-beaten-path safety tips from my vast collection.
Tip 1: Rake Leaves, Not Nerves
Here’s a nifty little hint for autumn. Placing foam rubber over the handles of rakes – [...]
5 Tips to Prevent Fall Injuries at Home
$100 billion
What does this number represent?
Answer: It’s the average annual medical cost of unintentional falls in the United States.
According to the Home Safety Council, falls are the leading cause of home injury deaths in the US, yet most families don’t consider this hazard as their top safety concern at home.
A fall can be a life-changing [...]
How Ethnic Culture Affects Safety Culture
Let’s play word association. You say “workplace safety.” I picture industry, machinery and assembly line workers a la Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times. The notion of “safety culture” is a breakthrough because it recognizes that workplace safety is rooted in human behavior and that behavior is shaped by the mindset of the actors who author [...]
