Masonry Magazine June 2011 Page. 26
SAFETY
There in Berlin. His admonitions went virtually unheeded. After the Nazi invasion of Poland, Britain realized what they should have been learning. The education of what could happen to them in the near future was obvious, so Churchill's challenge was to teach them that it didn't have to happen. In short, he taught his nation to "...never, never give up."
We can help change the attitude of an employee who may be apathetic toward safety by teaching him why he should be safe. We must change his mind by showing the consequences of unsafe behavior, while training him on how the task can be accomplished without the hazards. We can do this with a New Hire Orientation, weekly safety meetings, pre-task planning or Job Safety Analysis, and special training in the areas of forklifts, scaffolding, etc... We also should personalize it by using real injury reports and near misses that they were involved in, and by referencing their families and how much they are needed at home, safe and unharmed.
An old adage related to teaching and learning reads, "Give a man a fish, and he has food for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he has food for a lifetime." The reason this proverb has endured the ages is that it is so true. When we take the time to teach, it changes lives, families, companies and, sometimes, nations.
Discipline
Many more things could be brought forth, but one more thing should be mentioned here: discipline for unsafe behavior. Adolf Hitler had to deal with the consequences of his actions. If not for men like Winston Churchill, Hitler would not have had any immediate consequences. Similarly, if we have an employee willing to endanger his life and safety, and that of others, consequences that will change that behavior must be in place.
Every mason contractor needs a disciplinary policy, but that policy isn't worth the paper it's written on unless it is followed. An employee who makes a mistake can be retrained and made a valuable member of the team. An employee who purposely avoids and tries to get away with unsafe acts needs immediate consequences to his behavior, and it may be the termination of his employment. Some may find that harsh. But it may be the best action for the crew and the employee as it may save his life, and keep him from being maimed in an accident. It may be the one thing that changes his mind about safety, and his next employer won't have to endure those dangers.
We all are on a journey toward safety and have room for growth in that area. We want to see better attitudes in safety. If we start with these basic nuts and bolts of cultivating a safe attitude in our people, we can say as Churchill did, "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." IMAS
Zach Everett is the MCAA's safety committee chairman, and corporate safety director for Brazos Masonry Inc. He can be reached at zeverett@brazosmasonry.com.
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