Hazard Awareness: The Little Things Count
Most of us have probably heard the old saying, “It’s the little things that count.”
There are many small things that influence our lives, and ignoring them can sometimes have serious consequences—particularly when it comes to safety. We have all been trained to watch out for the big hazards that could harm us, but the little ones can sometimes cause serious injuries, too.
One large company became very concerned when its accident frequency showed a large increase over a three-month period. Management began an in-depth investigation. To everyone’s surprise, it wasn’t auto accidents or lifting of heavy equipment. It was the little things that led to injuries!
We often ignore a defective tool or extension cord, and we don’t take the time to address it. It is important to follow through on our good intentions, since these are just the sort of “little things” that can result in a serious injury to ourselves or to other team members.
Minor injuries left untreated are also “little things” that can cause big trouble if ignored. “Just a scratch” can become infected; a speck of dust in the eye can scratch the cornea and cause severe eye damage if not attended to. So, be sure to report even seemingly minor injuries and get appropriate first-aid treatment.
Little things do count and if we take a few minutes to pay attention to all the potential hazards around us we can prevent serious injuries from happening to ourselves and our employees.