NAFA's St. Louis Chapter Learns, "In Any Workplace, The Greatest Hazard Is You"
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The St. Louis Gateway Chapter's September 16 meeting at The Museum of Transportation focused on safety, but if individuals thought there was going to be some new product or service to shoulder the burden of responsibility, they needed to think again.
Bradley Penneau, CDS (Certified Director of Safety), Safety Program Consultant for Telogis, brought along $25 Visa Gift Cards for those attendees who answered
certain questions correctly. One question was: "In any workplace, what
is the greatest hazard?"
The answer, Brad asserted, was: "You."
Brad went on to explain that safety is a choice and the number one rule is you have to protect yourself. He also pointed out that just because you don't have any violations, it doesn't mean you are safe. It just means nothing bad has happened...yet.
Being safe has positive economic impacts. According to Brad, there is a work-related injury every four seconds in the United States and it costs employers 100 billion dollars annually. He explained how a company needs to be proactive when it comes to
safety. Don't look at any safety goal as impossible. The more you work
at it, the more attainable the goal becomes.
He also explained that the way you provide safety to your employees is through training, environment, and tools. He concluded by informing the group that even the best safety programs and training are ineffective if the employees are unwilling to exhibit safe behavior. Sometimes employees need to be motivated to comply.
There are products and services that help, and Brad discussed Telogis' product as one of them as a hedge against unsafe practices. But it comes down to decisions, and it is incumbent upon drivers to know and make the right ones.
The meeting was adjourned and attendees were free to look around the many exhibits with old cars and memorabilia at the museum.
Special thanks to St. Louis Gateway Chapter Chair Lisa Geringer, CAFM®, for information in this article.
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