This morning I wanted to connect a data stick to my car stereo so I could listen to something other than the radio while taking my daughter to school.  It took me a minute of fumbling to get it connected.  As I started the car, my daughter said quietly, “Don’t forget the garage door.”  I’m glad she did.  I’d been so focused on setting up the stereo that I’d forgotten about the garage door.  I probably would have opened it since it’s my habit to use the mirrors whenever backing up.

I’ve said it before, but it’s one of the messages that’s worth repeating.  Always take the time to help others …

Be Safe!

Keith Steele

When I was young, the newspaper reported that my home town fire department was getting a new fire engine. As part of a safety trend back then, they decided to get this new fire truck in fluorescent green instead of the traditional red. They thought the new color would be easier to see, thus helping with community safety. Sometime later (months or years, I can’t remember) they said they were doing away with the new paint scheme because people didn’t think “fire engine” unless the fire engine was red. I’ll admit that as I think about it today, if I saw green and flashing lights, I’d have to stop and think things through.

Sometimes there is time to make changes safely with education. In other situations, (especially if the public is involved) we need to consider how others react during a split-second reaction and if there is still time to…

Be Safe!

Keith Steele

There was a time when I had to use a smart card (with an imbedded chip) and enter a password in order to use the computers at work.  As part of the network security, there were limits on how many times I could enter the wrong password before the card would be “locked” and I’d have to jump through bureaucratic hoops before I could use a computer again.  Since I’ve got many passwords, a bad memory and some paralysis in my right hand, I was prone to fat-fingering my password.  One day I saw a warning that I was only two more wrong entries before I’d be locked out.  After that, I always took it slow and somehow went about three weeks or more without another warning.

Here’s the safety tie-in.  When we know that something could go wrong, we take extra precautions to reduce the chance for accidents.  Unfortunately, we don’t always have that warning – or sometimes ignore them.  That’s why we should always be prepared for something to go wrong.  We need to always take the time necessary to…

Be Safe!

Keith Steele

Last night I visited a manufacturing plant with a reserved parking spot for “safety employee of the month.” I asked a plant employees about that benefit, and learned this. The safety parking spot is for an employee who performs a “safety act.” (Sorry, that’s the best phrase I can think of.) This act is more than wiping up a wet spot. To earn that parking space, the employee needs to identify a problem, document and implement the solution, and communicate the information to the appropriate office.

The more I think about this, the more genius I see in the program. It creates a culture where following procedures is encouraged, where communication is strengthened, and gives employees an incentive to…

Be Safe!

Keith Steele

Earlier this summer, I almost saw an accident while standing near a busy six-lane intersection.  I was watching traffic when I saw (and heard) a sports sedan pass by.  I think it may have been going a little too fast, hoping to beat a red light.  Just as that car passed through the intersection, another car pulled out from a parking lot and, instead of turning into the nearest lane, it pulled into the middle lane where the sedan was speeding along.  Fortunately, a split second before impact, the sedan swerved and missed the second car.  Was the second driver watching the traffic lights and not the traffic?  Had there been an accident, I wonder who would have been cited?  From my perspective, both drivers could have been more cautious.

We never know when someone else will make a mistake or use poor judgment.  That’s even more reason to always try to…

Be Safe!

Keith Steele