I have a small, framed photo in my office of an old boy with a gray beard slouched in a folding chair in his yard. He wears jeans, boots, red suspenders, a denim shirt, all topped by a wide-rim white cowboy hat. A black dog lies at his feet and a long stogie is stuck in his mouth.
The “D” of the LEAD acronym I introduced in my ISHN column this past December stands for “Data” (see sidebar). Data both directs and motivates behavior. By observing the results of our actions, we learn how well we completed a task and what we can do to improve.
Sadly, I preface this month’s column with word that Dan Petersen passed on January 10, 2007. Rare is a true giant in a field. That’s what Dan was to safety. A compassionate man with class, Dan started in safety full-time in 1954. For the next 53 years he prodded the field to raise its level of professionalism with unmatched vigor. In books, articles, speeches and teaching he pressed the need for research, a sense of history, clear thinking, open-mindedness, and accountability. Dan never stopped learning, never stopped pursuing the goal of organizational safety excellence. Dan leaves a huge legacy, and he’ll be very much missed. — Dave Johnson, Editor
What’s the biggest daily problem in organizations? Communication. What could have prevented many of the recordable incidents that occurred last year at your facility? Better communication. Communication makes the world go ’round.
New and expanded requirements found in laws such as the federal False Claims Act, the Deficit Reduction Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines are pushing companies, both public and private, to build and enforce ethics into all aspects of their business.
In this month’s column, I propose
adding a critical A-word to this list — Authenticity. In fact, I
believe this word can give all of us beneficial direction for the New
Year. How about a New Year’s Resolution to be more authentic in our
interpersonal relations?
Safety committees exist in many workplaces, and the quality of their contributions can vary greatly. In some companies, they fulfill a role of communication, quasi-participation, or perhaps real employee participation — for the few workers on the committee.
Sometime last year I received this email: “I am an EH&S consultant and have been asked to address a group of human resource professionals on safety management. I am interested in learning more about the changing face of safety management…
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