Self Centered Safety

Good Monday Morning Team!

We all have our own reasons for doing what we will and won’t do. Working safely on the job is no different. I am sure you’ll agree that there are multiple reasons why we should want to work safely. After all, safe work practices have benefits for everyone on the job. But some people may need to take a more self-centered approach to reinforce making the right choices consistently on the worksite or at home. This self-centered approach shouldn’t be confused with someone not caring about another individual or somehow thinking they are above everyone else. We are simply talking here about what might cause an individual to think and work safely, always.

Here are three self-centered reasons to work safely:

1. Your own health. It’s obvious that your health and well-being should be the biggest motivator in choosing to work safely. Once your health is lost, or impacted severely, you may never be the same. It is vitally important to consider how a severe injury would change the rest of your life.

1. Providing for your family. Your family depends on you and your ability to earn an income. If you are injured or ill, you can lose that ability very quickly. Even if it is only for a short time, the financial and emotional effects on your family can be drastic.

1. Your reputation. While highly productive employees are still very much rewarded at many companies, working safely is often recognized right along with production. Your safety reputation at work not only affects you in your current position, but it also can affect getting a future promotion. Few would want to reward a risk taker or put them in a position of power.

Whether you need to approach safety from a self-centered point of view or not, always working safely benefits not only you, but those around you as well. While working in an unsafe way will always affect you and your family the most, it also has serious negative effects for those around you. Stop and think about what you might personally have to lose before taking that shortcut.

Again, this self-centered approach to safety is not to be confused with an egocentric person, or someone uncaring of another individual’s feelings. I am not talking about having an attitude that allows someone to think that they are above everyone else around them. I am merely drawing attention to the motivations someone might use to always think and work safely. Being self-centered in safety should never be considered a character fault.

Have a great week and always be safe.

Ray Moore