SAFETY TALK
…….Safety is not something you have, it’s something you do
I Chose to Look the Other Way (4)
What would you do if you saw an unsafe act, or an unsafe condition or an unsafe piece of equipment? What would you do? Would you do something about it or would you
LOOK THE OTHER WAY?
THERE ARE NO GOOD REASONS FOR LOOKING THE OTHER WAY
We have heard 3 real stories of people who CHOSE to look the other way. It was a choice they made that had an impact on the lives of others. With safety it is not only about our safety but the safety and lives of others. We all have the responsibility, obligation and moral choice to do something if we see it is unsafe. The choice is ours…what will you do?
Listen to some of the quotes from each of the stories that have been presented:
“There were a lot of reasons I didn’t speak up on the day Jonathan died, but none of them make any sense now. There is never a good reason to let someone be in harm’s way,” says Steve.
“I didn’t want to make Alvin mad, so I didn’t point out his unsafe behavior. Well, I can say from experience that it’s better to make someone mad than to watch them die,” Jason says.
“I thought I was being a friend by looking the other way, but you’re not doing anybody any favors by letting them get away with violating safety rules. You are just increasing their chances of getting hurt or worse,” says Michael.
Here is the poem that inspired the previous 3 job talks. Everyone should read and “hear” the words associated with the poem. Each of the stories were powerful……hopefully they instilled some sense of responsibility.
I CHOSE TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY
I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.
It wasn’t that I didn’t care;
I had the time, and I was there.
But I didn’t want to seem a fool,
Or argue over a safety rule.
I knew he’d done the job before;
If I spoke up, he might get sore.
The chances didn’t seem that bad;
I’d done the same, he knew I had.
So I shook my head and walked on by;
He knew the risks as well as I.
He took the chance, I closed an eye;
And with that act, I let him die.
I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.
Now every time I see his wife,
I know I should have saved his life.
That guilt is something I must bear;
But it isn’t something you need share.
If you see a risk that others take
That puts their health or life at stake,
The question asked or thing you say;
Could help them live another day.
If you see a risk and walk away,
Then hope you never have to say,
“I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.”
What Would You Do?
REMEMBER. WE ALL NEED TO WORK SAFELY……YOUR FAMILY IS WAITING FOR YOU AT HOME
