Polytechnic West (Australian Centre for Work Safety) > Resources

'Hindsight'
Hindsight explains the injury that foresight would have prevented. Anon

'15 Seconds'
Listening to the radio news on the way to work recently, I heard a 15 second story about a mine fatality in WA. There was a brief outline of the incident, ending with the announcement that this was the third mine fatality in WA for the year. Firstly, in this case, there were three witnesses. Then came the mining safety manager, the foreman, the department manager and the mines manager. Six members from the rescue team attended, and five members from the crew observed the scene after the event. Two police officers attended, along with a Mines Inspector and two assistants. Three coronial enquiries and forensic officers attended for the preliminary investigation. Five counsellors came to assist employees. In the first four hours, that’s 31 people already. Two additional police officers, a nurse from the local medical centre and a representative from the mine attended the partner’s house and advised of the incident. Several phone calls later 30 family members know. One family member attended the local primary school to advise the child of the deceased and take him home. The headmaster, class teacher, school psychologist and 24 classmates of the child then spent the remainder of the day discussing the incident. Communication sessions were organised for all employees. Emotions now come into play (remember that some people delivering these sessions are also dealing with their own emotions). In the following days several people have not attended work due to some form of emotional stress. These people are vulnerable to themselves and others around. Interviews have started with all involved. Not only did some see the event, they now have to recall every detail and relay it in an interview. Answers are needed and legal requirements have to be met. The plant manager is at the home of the deceased offering the family support. Police are also there, obtaining details of the deceased. Funeral directors are in attendance along with the local priest making arrangement for the funeral. A team of forensic and coronial examiners are with the deceased, building evidence as to the cause of death. The next day several of the child’s classmates are not at school, having difficulties dealing with what occurred. Some parents are home from work with their children providing support. Every one of the family members have put their own lives and work on hold as they grieve and offer support to the deceased’s partner and each other. Within the first 24 hours, over 200 lives have been affected. Some involved will carry this with them for the rest of their lives. Do not take things for granted or become complacent; Fully investigate near missus; Share learning’s with others; Keep an eye out for each other; Do not treat fatality prevention with the mindset that ‘It will never happen to me’. You do not want to be one of those people affected by a "15 second radio announcement”

'15 Seconds'

Listening to the radio news on the way to work recently, I heard a 15 second story about a mine fatality in WA. There was a brief outline of the incident, ending with the announcement that this was the third mine fatality in WA for the year.

Firstly, in this case, there were three witnesses.

Then came the mining safety manager, the foreman, the department manager and the mines manager. Six members from the rescue team attended, and five members from the crew observed the scene after the event. Two police officers attended, along with a Mines Inspector and two assistants. Three coronial enquiries and forensic officers attended for the preliminary investigation. Five counsellors came to assist employees. In the first four hours, that’s 31 people already.

Two additional police officers, a nurse from the local medical centre and a representative from the mine attended the partner’s house and advised of the incident.

Several phone calls later 30 family members know. One family member attended the local primary school to advise the child of the deceased and take him home. The headmaster, class teacher, school psychologist and 24 classmates of the child then spent the remainder of the day discussing the incident.

Communication sessions were organised for all employees. Emotions now come into play (remember that some people delivering these sessions are also dealing with their own emotions). In the following days several people have not attended work due to some form of emotional stress. These people are vulnerable to themselves and others around. Interviews have started with all involved. Not only did some see the event, they now have to recall every detail and relay it in an interview. Answers are needed and legal requirements have to be met.

The plant manager is at the home of the deceased offering the family support. Police are also there, obtaining details of the deceased. Funeral directors are in attendance along with the local priest making arrangement for the funeral. A team of forensic and coronial examiners are with the deceased, building evidence as to the cause of death.

The next day several of the child’s classmates are not at school, having difficulties dealing with what occurred. Some parents are home from work with their children providing support. Every one of the family members have put their own lives and work on hold as they grieve and offer support to the deceased’s partner and each other.

Within the first 24 hours, over 200 lives have been affected. Some involved will carry this with them for the rest of their lives.

Do not take things for granted or become complacent;
Fully investigate near missus;
Share learning’s with others;
Keep an eye out for each other;
Do not treat fatality prevention with the mindset that ‘It will never happen to me’.

You do not want to be one of those people affected by a "15 second radio announcement”

'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 called it wrong, he might get sore. The chances didn’t seem that bad, I’ve 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’ll know I should have saved his life. That guilt is something I must bear, But it isn’t something you need to 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 I hope you never have to say, I could have saved a life that day, But I chose to look the other way by Don Merrell

'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 called it wrong, he might get sore.
The chances didn’t seem that bad, I’ve 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’ll know I should have saved his life.
That guilt is something I must bear, But it isn’t something you need to 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 I hope you never have to say,
I could have saved a life that day, But I chose to look the other way

by Don Merrell

Ode To The Safety Professional
Sandwiched tightly between Top Brass and the teaming masses sits a wild-eyed individual madly singing a safety tune. He’s the most misunderstood, maligned and unsung person in all the world of business. He’s the proverbial “SAFETY PROFESSIONAL”. This fellow’s a little bit of all strata’s… a member of none. To the employee or worker he’s a tool of management; to management, he’s just another employee. He finds his job interesting. He speaks for management from the “Ivory Tower” and then runs out to the Production Area, Warehouse or Work Site to hear how it sounds. He must keep his head in the “brass’ board room”, his feet in the muck… a difficult position to keep from falling off his butt. He has the curiosity of a cat… the tenacity of a mother in law… the determination of a taxi driver… the nervous system of a race car driver… the digestive capacity of a goat… the simplicity of a jackass… the diplomacy of a wayward husband… the hide of a rhinoceros… the speed of a rocket and the good humour of an idiot. He has the busiest, shrewdest, plots ingest, worry ingest, most thoroughly washed brain of any human. His mail basket is always full, his desk is a constant mess and his calendar looks like cave drawings. Nobody has been given the run-round as often, has been passed so many bucks, is left holding so many bags, and cut his way through so much red tape. The SAFETY PROFESSIONAL keeps the coffee plantations, aspirin plants, liquor distilleries and the midnight oil companies in business. He must tread lightly over mountains of eggs, knowing where to tread and, more importantly, when and where NOT to tread. You’ll find him everywhere… shouting loudly over the din of a bunch of roaring engines, whispering softly in the hallowed precincts of thick-carpeted offices. Whenever there is an accident, the SAFETY PROFESSIONAL is often called to explain why and how it happened. He’s expected to pull rabbits out of non-existent hats; when the job is thankless, he gets it. He must engineer interests in good housekeeping to people who live in garage sale clutter… promote wider responsibility to people who have a narrow focus… preach safety to people who think they don’t need it. He must listen to the phrase, ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it’, until he vomits. Despite all the careful planning he is usually found dangling on a deadline… he’s the original cat on the hot tin roof… in the middle of a muddle and of course LATE. The master of understatement, he must make fire protection sound as essential as religion and an accident cost sound like the national debt. He’s supposed to be a “specialist” who can breath new life into committees and meetings… leadership into management… co-operation into supervisory personnel… responsibility into employees/workers. He must inspire without propaganda… propagandize without being obvious. He parks his 1980’s jalopy between the boss’s new Mercedes and the janitors SUV. When he’s clever, it goes unnoticed… when he stubs his toe, the world is there to see and mock it. To him a headache is normal; he’d have ulcers if he could afford them. He has more critics than Harry Truman. He meets more people who think they know more about safety than the company has conveyor hooks. He can never be right. When he simplifies, he’s pandering. When he gets a little technical, he’s over their head. Half the people wonder what he does… the other half know what he does but think he’s doing it wrong! When an idea turns out lousy and after the blame has been thoroughly kicked between the employee/worker, foreman and supervisor, it winds up in his lap. More people bend his ear than anybody else’s. Everybody thinks he always has time to stop and listen to a joke… hear a gripe… attend a meeting… serve on a committee. He does, and winds up taking most of his work home. He has no peer in the realm of praise, propaganda and procrastination. He knows he’s right; only the world think he’s wrong. If he has an idea, it was stolen. However, a stolen idea is research! Where else do you think the background material from this sad tale of woe about a SAFETY PROFESSIONAL originated?

Ode To The Safety Professional

Sandwiched tightly between Top Brass and the teaming masses sits a wild-eyed individual madly singing a safety tune. He’s the most misunderstood, maligned and unsung person in all the world of business. He’s the proverbial “SAFETY PROFESSIONAL”.
This fellow’s a little bit of all strata’s… a member of none. To the employee or worker he’s a tool of management; to management, he’s just another employee.
He finds his job interesting. He speaks for management from the “Ivory Tower” and then runs out to the Production Area, Warehouse or Work Site to hear how it sounds. He must keep his head in the “brass’ board room”, his feet in the muck… a difficult position to keep from falling off his butt.
He has the curiosity of a cat… the tenacity of a mother in law… the determination of a taxi driver… the nervous system of a race car driver… the digestive capacity of a goat… the simplicity of a jackass… the diplomacy of a wayward husband… the hide of a rhinoceros… the speed of a rocket and the good humour of an idiot.
He has the busiest, shrewdest, plots ingest, worry ingest, most thoroughly washed brain of any human. His mail basket is always full, his desk is a constant mess and his calendar looks like cave drawings. Nobody has been given the run-round as often, has been passed so many bucks, is left holding so many bags, and cut his way through so much red tape.
The SAFETY PROFESSIONAL keeps the coffee plantations, aspirin plants, liquor distilleries and the midnight oil companies in business. He must tread lightly over mountains of eggs, knowing where to tread and, more importantly, when and where NOT to tread. You’ll find him everywhere… shouting loudly over the din of a bunch of roaring engines, whispering softly in the hallowed precincts of thick-carpeted offices.
Whenever there is an accident, the SAFETY PROFESSIONAL is often called to explain why and how it happened. He’s expected to pull rabbits out of non-existent hats; when the job is thankless, he gets it. He must engineer interests in good housekeeping to people who live in garage sale clutter… promote wider responsibility to people who have a narrow focus… preach safety to people who think they don’t need it. He must listen to the phrase, ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it’, until he vomits.
Despite all the careful planning he is usually found dangling on a deadline… he’s the original cat on the hot tin roof… in the middle of a muddle and of course LATE. The master of understatement, he must make fire protection sound as essential as religion and an accident cost sound like the national debt.
He’s supposed to be a “specialist” who can breath new life into committees and meetings… leadership into management… co-operation into supervisory personnel… responsibility into employees/workers. He must inspire without propaganda… propagandize without being obvious. He parks his 1980’s jalopy between the boss’s new Mercedes and the janitors SUV. When he’s clever, it goes unnoticed… when he stubs his toe, the world is there to see and mock it.
To him a headache is normal; he’d have ulcers if he could afford them. He has more critics than Harry Truman. He meets more people who think they know more about safety than the company has conveyor hooks.
He can never be right. When he simplifies, he’s pandering. When he gets a little technical, he’s over their head. Half the people wonder what he does… the other half know what he does but think he’s doing it wrong! When an idea turns out lousy and after the blame has been thoroughly kicked between the employee/worker, foreman and supervisor, it winds up in his lap.
More people bend his ear than anybody else’s. Everybody thinks he always has time to stop and listen to a joke… hear a gripe… attend a meeting… serve on a committee. He does, and winds up taking most of his work home.
He has no peer in the realm of praise, propaganda and procrastination. He knows he’s right; only the world think he’s wrong. If he has an idea, it was stolen. However, a stolen idea is research! Where else do you think the background material from this sad tale of woe about a SAFETY PROFESSIONAL originated?

Australian Centre for Work Safety

Managing Risk

Things To Think About - Text