Safety Workplace III

Article #3

Safety perspectives: past, present, future

November 2, 2012 by Jonathan Jacobi Leave a Comment

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This morning’s coffee came with a warning that the contents might be hot. I have seen this warning a thousand times, but it still makes me think just how different the world was when I was growing up:  Seatbelts were considered uncomfortable and unnecessary; adults who wanted to wear them had to dig for them under the seats.  In cars, kids rode anywhere they wanted, including on top of the rear window shelf or rolling around in the back of the family station wagon.  School playgrounds were erected on asphalt and metal slides burned legs on hot summer days.  There were no warning labels on hot drinks. Yet, somehow my generation survived. Fast forward to today:  Airbags and anti-lock brakes are now standard features.  Drivers can be cited if they are caught not wearing their seatbelts.  Rubberized mulch is now the playground surface of choice.  Playground equipment has been re-engineered to include kid-friendly plastic parts.  Last, but not least, hot coffee comes with a warning label. Given these developments, I cannot help but wonder:  Are ’Boomers and Gen Xers “tougher” and more able to navigate risk using street smarts gained through survival in inherently risky surroundings?  Or are ’Boomers and Gen Xers more at risk because they have formed cavalier attitudes toward safety due to these childhood influences? i.e., “We did not need these protections then so why do we need them now?” I also wonder about more recent generations who have not faced the same unmitigated risks my generation faced when growing up. Does this affect how they view risk? Experience tells us that management systems play a role in shaping safety attitudes and culture. One would presume that generational differences also play a role. Given generational differences present in today’s workplace, it becomes increasingly important to leverage all the unique experiences, perspectives and attitudes each generation brings to the table. We accomplish this by making an effort to solicit input from all generational segments. – UL gives safety professionals more of the tools they need to proactively address risks, reduce costs and keep people safe, healthy and on the job. Written by Jonathan Jacobi Jonathan Jacobi is an Environment, Health and Safety Advisor with UL, specializing in workplace health and safety. He is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), a Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) and

an OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainer with more than 20 years of safety leadership experience in the construction, automotive, paper, nuclear and semiconductor industries. You may also like - OSHA’s newest compliance officers – your employees For a safer workforce, use leading indicators to avoid lagging ASSE SAFETY 2012 observations