I’m fortunate to belong to a profession jam-packed with people dedicated to keeping workers safe.  Two profound guys came up with one of the best and an easy to understand definition of “safety philosophy”.

NAOSH week, a week dedicated to workplace safety, seemed like a good time to share this. 

I wish every company with employees would embrace this safety philosophy and every worker worked for a company with this core value.

I want to thank William “Bill” Mattiford, VP of Safety with Henkes & Mccoy, Blue Bell, PA and Wayne Blackley, PE with Associated Training Corp, Richardson Texas for permission to use this.

SAFETY

Safety is not #1 nor should it be - Sounded strange the first time I heard that statement made, but it is correct.

A safety philosophy that works does not have a number - safety must be an intrinsic integral part of everyone - it must be a core value like honesty, integrity, faithfulness and loyalty.

If you have a spouse who is unfaithful you terminate the relationship, if you have an employee who is dishonest you terminate relations. 

If everyone knows safety is one of your core values they can figure out the consequences - bad safety programs are the result of bad management practices - nuff said?

Bill Mattiford and Wayne Blackley

North American Occupational Safety and Health or NAOSH week started in June 1997.  NAOSH week is celebrated in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

Canada had a Canadian Occupational Safety and Health (COHS) week for 10 years previously (1986-1996).  In 1995, during trade talks between Canada, US and Mexico, the topic of workplace safety came up.  After many discussions and approval from the Canadian government, Canada opened up its COHS week to the rest of the continent and it was renamed the North American Occupational Safety and Health  or NAOSH week.

Management and responsibility of NAOSH week is handled by Canadian Society of Safety Engineers (CSSE) http://www.csse.org/.  They work with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) http://www.asse.org/ in the U.S. and partners in Mexico to promote this week dedicated to occupational safety.  Work safe! Be safe!

The purpose of North American Occupational Safety and Health or NAOSH week (May 2 -8, 2010) is to focus on workplace safety. 

In 2008 in the United States, 5214 people went to work and didn’t come home, that’s a little over 100 people every week or 17 people every day.

How many families are still grieving over the loss of their loved ones? Safety isn’t just a word.  Safety is real.  When it's not there, it can be disasterous.  Just ask any wife, husband, mom, dad, son or daughter who wishes that safety had been at work with their loved one that last day.

This week, let’s make safety a priority.  Just this week, follow every safety rule.  Do it one day at a time.  Pay attention to what you do.  If you’re not sure if you are doing something right, ask.  Then follow up NAOSH week, with another week of being safe, and then another.

Our goal is for everyone to come home safely at the end of the day.  17 people dying daily to provide for their families is unacceptable to me.  I hope it’s unacceptable to you, too.