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Safety and the Undercover Boss
Undercover Boss first aired right after the Super Bowl. Even though I have a great disdain for 'reality' shows, I wanted to see how careful these CEOs would be about putting their company in a good light, especially with regard to Safety & Environmental. The Waste Management episode was good about safety vests, hard hats, etc., but I spotted some flaws.
1. When the CEO/trainee was issued earplugs, he wasn’t shown how to insert them properly or told when or where to use them, where more could be found, etc.;
2. The CEO/trainee received no safety advice when he got on the conveyor at the recycling center. He wasn’t told about the E-stop or dangers, nor was he told about proper lifting when he started work on the garbage truck. Now perhaps that was edited BUT....
3. The CEO/trainee asked an honest question when picking trash at the landfill: “Is there a preferred way to do this?” Rather than showing him or recommending the use of the ‘sticker’ to avoid bending, he was told “it’s not rocket science.”
Now I’ll admit it was indeed NOT rocket science, but how often do we assume unskilled new hires know what they’re doing and give sarcastic responses to questions? That’s just POOR safety!
I live by the thought that common sense has become an oxymoron; that is, sense is no longer common. So I always explain the simplest things and give every question a fair hearing (unless of course the new hire is just being ‘smart.’).
Anyway, one man’s opinion. I’m curious to see what other SafetyXChange members thought of the show!
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Gerald:
Good points all! It would be interesting if some news service would do a "behind the scenes" to see if indeed training and safety information was edited out.
Safety Training includes so many basic things -- like "E" stops; but also restroom and storm shelter locations, emergency exits, PPE supply location and a million other details that aren't rocket science, but can help a new hire become a safe and productive worker more quickly.
Cheers!
I found the show quite good for both sides of the coin. I worked for a company about 30 years ago that the management team had to spend 1 day, every 6 months on the floor. It gave them as well as the workers a good perspective of each others jobs
I thought the Waste Management show was great, dealing with both sides well. The next show (Hooters) also seemed a well shot TV Program. They seem to bring a personal feeling down to the worker level. Then again, like any good safety person, I found issues of concern with safety. But I am also the kind of guy who looks at magazine covers to point out the obvious safety errors shown, they are getting better at it though.
Now I am sure each CEO/President had their safety team look over the shooting but this was after the fact, or at least I hope so. As well as I am sure that any sort of safety brief was edited out as too boring stuff.
I hope in the future this Undercover Boss program shows a company with a positive safety culture, not one based on promises (you do good this month I give you a nice prize) or hopes (I hope you don’t get hurt).
So far, so good for this program. But, I cringe much of the time when I watch a Dirty Jobs episode, and hope that OSHA or the state OSHA equivalent is watching the show and following up.
As Len mentioned, Dirty Jobs takes some safety for granted as does almost all shows on Home and Garden TV.
They show contractors on roofs without fall protection, dry cutting of block and stone without respiratory protection or eye protection and using dust respirators when spray painting.
They are showing the American public how to perform some of these tasks and what they are showing is incorrect.
I wonder how many networks, film companies, etc have Safety professionals on their payrolls (or at least as consultants). One would think actual filming, especially on location, would be a hazardous occcupation per OSHA but from what I can tell of the stat's it's not. BUT I'm willing to bet it's undereported except in extreme cases like the death of Victor Morrow in a helicopter yrs ago.
Any one reading these posts who works in TV or the movies?