A lot of people get their feathers ruffled when they hear safety, or see the safety man. I was always one of them. I fought with safety people so much, that the company pretty much forced me to join the Joint Health and Safety Council. As with most government jobs, a lot of these guys let it go to their head. After a while you begin to see that it is all about the liability. You can do something a million times unsafe, and the millionth and first time you get hurt, or killed. Right off the bat, the fingers start pointing...I didn't know...no one told me..it's the supervisors fault....they should have had a guard on that or a railing...it's the companies fault......we were unaware of the rules, it's the government's fault. So the government makes rules, and hires people to make sure that the companies know them, and follow them. The companies hire people to make company policies regarding safety, and educate employees about safety. If they don't, the liability lies with them. Supervisors properly educated enforce safety rules, and makes sure people under them work safe. If not, now they can be liable. Employees, now educated follow rules, point out risks, now everyone is safe. If only it were that easy. Unless everyone becomes involved, and each level of employee and management support each other, the system breaks down. If you get shot down every time you report something that is unsafe, after a while you start to ignore unsafe situations. I`m as guilty as anyone else. I never wear my seat belt operating machinery. I wear my hard hat as little as possible. I had an argument with a new operator about digging off the side of my tracks when digging. He was right, but his way was time consuming and made a mess. I will just be careful. Ive done it a million times. My heart goes out to anyone who has lost someone in a farming or construction accident.
