In order for a business to be successful long-term, safety must be a priority.
When we talk about safety with our employees, we address the many reasons why it is important to be safe, but we rarely think of talking about not being afraid. After all, why should employees be afraid of being safe? Don’t they want to go home from work the same way they came in — injury-free and all body parts still intact?
Turns out, there are many reasons employees feel afraid. Sometimes, no matter how many safety protocols we put in place and no matter how many times they are told they have the right and obligation to stop any unsafe task, they may not follow procedures or stop a job if they are afraid of being thought of as lazy, weak, disloyal or incompetent.
These fears are understandable, but we must all resist the urge to give in to these fears and encourage our co-workers to do the same. To do that, we must face our fears head-on and do the right thing. If we see something, we need to say something. That is the only way we are going to maintain a safe work environment for all.
Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
So, take care, stay safe, and don’t be afraid.