Never cut corners

It could save you or a colleague from a nasty accident

Here’s something most of us know to be true: the vast majority of industrial accidents and injuries result from people doing something that they know is wrong. Breaking that rule ‘just this once’ ends in bruised egos, missing fingers, or worse. And in fact, the reason behind most company safety rules and most Occupational Health and Safety (H&S) legislation is precisely because someone, somewhere, made that ‘just this once’ bad decision and didn’t get away with it. That’s at the heart of H&S. There is never an excuse to skimp on safety, though we face the temptation and the opportunity to do so every day. We’ve got deadlines, the pressure of expectations, customers or bosses peering over our shoulders (sometimes literally), the weather is nasty, and that shortcut will get you to lunch faster.

None of these are good reasons for shortcuts. That one time is also likely the one time you’re struck with the worst injury. And sometimes, from the simplest, silliest of things.

A broken ankle

In one real-life example, a machine shop has a ‘no running’ rule. Good sensible stuff. On finishing a job, the head sawyer noticed the truck picking up the order waiting for the last piece. After finishing the cut, he grabbed it and made a dash for the vehicle, only to encounter sunstrike on rounding the corner. Half-blinded, but on a mission to the delivery bay, he stumbled into a forklift that wasn’t quite where it should have been. Worse still, the forks were slightly elevated, catching his foot between fork blade and floor.

He suffered an almost complete tearing of several ligaments and tendons as well as two hairline fractures to the ankle. The result was a lot of pain, a trip to the hospital, surgical repair and a lengthy and unpleasant recovery. There is some doubt he will ever return to his old job.

…for the sake of half a minute

So, why did he cut the corner? For the best of intentions. He wanted to get the job done and off to the customer. Didn’t want to keep the delivery driver waiting. Maybe it was a Friday and not far from knock-off.

Was it worth it? The answer is obvious. In the interests of shaving 30 seconds off a job, the poor chap has endured considerable discomfort and suffering, the job was likely late, and the shop itself came under extra pressure with a man down. Did the sawyer know the rule about not running in the shop? You bet he did. But in doing it anyway, he encountered an unforeseen hazard and paid the price (in the next edition of Radiator, we’ll discuss the importance of Always Reporting Hazards).

His example demonstrates precisely why cutting the corner ‘just this once’ is such a bad idea. And if you get away with it this time, chances are you’ll do it again, increasing the chances of an accident. The bottom line? If you think what you are about to do is unsafe, it probably is. Stop and think about it. Then do the right thing, by the book, every time.

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