I'm still getting a lot of response from the article I wrote about a year ago describing the triple amputation incident involving a railroad worker that made me decide to become a safety professional. (Editor's Note: For those who missed it on the first go-round, we recently re-ran the piece, "Finding Your Commitment"). My theory is that most safety professionals are like me. They got into the business because of an incident that became a defining moment.

But once we make the commitment to safety, how do we keep it alive over an entire career? Perhaps recounting my early experiences promoting safety on the Railroad can furnish some answers to that vital question.

Accepting a Safety Challenge

The SafetyXChange piece wasn't the first time I talked publicly about that gruesome railroad incident and its impact on my life. The first time I brought it up was 35 years ago at a safety conference in Michigan. I was speaking as a representative of the Railroad Division and, fortunately for me, our Vice President of Operations was in the audience. He was obviously moved by my remarks because after I finished speaking, he walked up to me and issued a challenge: "Art," he said, "I want you to change the safety attitudes and behavior of everyone in the Railroad, including management and labor."

At that time I was still pursuing several moonlighting ventures mostly involving writing and photography for magazines and other clients. But I accepted the VP's challenge. One of the first things I did was to create an audio-visual presentation for the railroad entitled "What's A Grand Trunk?" The answer: A Grand Trunk is a railroad with many great, hard-working people. We took that "show" on the road where it was presented to the new President of the Railroad and no fewer than three Vice Presidents.

Spreading the Word about Safety

When the presentation ended and the lights came back on, I told those Railroad officers that the show wasn't over. On the contrary, it was just beginning. I let them know that I was giving them a job to do: Spread the safety message throughout the Railroad.

And they did. We followed up the A-V presentation by organizing a Santa Claus Special train that stopped at major cities served by the Railroad. The President and VPs accompanied us on the tour. The idea was to draw the attention of Railroad workers and their families. It worked. More than 5,000 workers and family members turned out to greet the train and receive gifts from Santa. Of course, we also delivered a strong and clear message about the importance of safety to them. For most of those workers, it was the first time they had ever laid eyes on a Railroad President. So you can imagine the impact this added to the safety message.

Meeting an Inspirational Figure

It was also at this time that I had another career-shaping experience. I had the great fortune to meet a wonderful man who would serve as an inspiration to me in the years to come. He was a professor from Notre Dame University aptly named Herb True, Ph.D. The word "genius" is overused. But Herb is a genius, at least when it comes to the art of motivation. When he wasn't teaching at Notre Dame, Herb would speak to the employees of major corporations, associations and other clients.

I was one of the many people touched by Herb. We formed a fast friendship that remains to this day. We worked together. Like a sponge, I absorbed every bit of knowledge and wisdom I could from Herb. My job was to write humorous material for Herb. We soon started to produce books and tapes on motivation and went "on tour" to present them for companies and their workers. It was Herb who helped me produce the presentation for the Railroad President, Vice Presidents and employees that led to the Santa Train tour.

Turning Things Around

Things at the Railroad were beginning to change. We went from having one of the worst injury records in the railroad industry to having one of the best. The Railroad would go on to win The Harriman Award for its excellent safety performance three times in the next 10 years.

Perhaps not coincidentally, labor relations at the Railroad also improved. The strikes and slow downs that had been taking place every few weeks before we started our program vanished for 10 years. And also perhaps not coincidentally, it was at this period that the Railroad went from years of corporate losses to profitability.

Conclusion

Looking back, I feel like I delivered on the commitment I made to safety. After 10 years of improving attitudes at the Railroad, I founded Growth Unlimited Inc., a corporation dedicated to speaking, motivation and touching people's lives. On July 5, we will celebrate our 25th year in business. Our clients include some of the continent's most important corporations, among them the four major auto makers, dozens power companies, gas companies, chemical corporations, computer makers, construction contractors, paper mills, hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers and doctors, chiropractors and osteopaths. I've had the chance to make safety presentations in all 50 U.S. states and every Canadian province.

But as I enter the sunset years of my career, I can't say I'm completely satisfied. Yes, I've enjoyed a measure of personal success and have helped a lot of people along the way. But when I read about returning G.I.s getting killed on our nation's highways, mining fatalities and such, I understand that my life's work is far from complete and that it will take the commitment of many others to one day achieve the ultimate goal: the complete eradication of preventable injuries and illnesses.

GOT A QUESTION FOR ART?

As you can see from this piece, Art Fettig is a national treasure. Check that. He's an international treasure. And he also happens to be SafetyXChange's "Ask the Expert" expert for this week. Art is available to answer your questions on employee attitudes and behavior, and how to gain employee commitment to safety.

Submit your questions to catherinej@bongarde.com. Art will try his best to answer as many of your questions as possible. We'll publish your questions and Art's answers in next Thursday's SafetyXChange newsletter.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY SAFETY

Even leprechauns get busted when they drive impaired

By Glenn Demby

St. Patrick's Day brings out unusually large numbers of impaired drivers. For example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that nearly 1 of 3 traffic fatalities that took place on St. Patrick's Day in 2003 were caused by drivers with blood alcohol content levels of .08% or higher. Here are some important safety tips to keep in mind for tomorrow night.

If you're planning to go out and consume alcohol:

Designate your sober driver before the party begins and give that person your car keys;

Don't starve yourself before or during the party. Enjoy the food as well as the drink;

Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Pace yourself. Eat, take breaks, alternate with non-alcoholic drinks;

If you're impaired, don't even think about getting behind the wheel. Ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend or family member to come and get you, call your local sober rides program, use mass transit or stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober;

If your friends are impaired, take their keys and don't let them leave your sight if you think they are about to drive.

If you're hosting a St. Patrick's Day party:

Serve lots of food - particularly high-protein dishes - and be sure to include lots of non-alcoholic beverages, desserts and coffee;

Be sure all of your guests designate their drivers in advance, or help arrange ride-sharing with sober drivers;

Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving while impaired.

Source: NHTSA

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