Loose Laces and the Fussy Inspector
Years ago in the repair shop I owned, I remember the workers and the way they wore their work boots. The rule that we followed was that everyone, bosses included, on the shop floor had to wear CSA approved, green patch work boots. "No boots, no work" was the rule, and it was enforced. What was not enforced was the way the workers wore their boots. The only way the workers wore their boots was half undone, with the boot tongue cocked at exactly the correct angle - only then were you officially "cool".
I also remember a Ministry of Labour inspector commenting on the way the boys wore their boots and saying that they should only be worn in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer and that meant fully laced up. The inspector did not actually hand out any tickets for improper use of personal protective equipment, nor did he write any orders; he just said he was making an informal observation and he would like me as an employer to see that we try and remedy the situation. After the inspector left the shop, I informed the men about what had transpired and we all scoffed at what we then considered to be an overly officious government official and his nit-picking of details.
Many years later I find myself working in the health and safety business and I now preach how important it is not to do much of what used to be commonplace in the workplace, including my own shop! I haven't thought much about that "nit-picking" inspector from years ago - until just yesterday. In class a participant revealed why their company was now very interested in complying with the Act and setting up a committee, populated by fully certified people. It turns out that a worker operating a drilling device, rotating at 100's of RPM, got his leg entangled with the drill bit. The power of the drill was such that terrible injuries resulted and doctors were forced to amputate his foot, hence the Ministry orders and desire of the company to comply fully. How could this happen? How could a workers foot become wrapped around the drill bit? The answer has to do with loose laces. The same issue that "nit-picking" inspector warned me about all those years ago.
Upon reflection, I believe that I would have been more inclined to listen more seriously to the inspector had he been able to explain why, rather than simply demanding we follow the rules. Something I have always found to be instructive is understanding that workers will be more compliant if they have a deeper knowledge of why, rather than simply following rules blindly. As the ancient Chinese proverb states:
Tell me and I will forget
Show me and I may remember
Involve me and I will understand.
Treat the time you spend talking about health and safety issues with staff as an investment. Make sure employees are not just following rules "because the boss says so". Better involvement, means better understanding. Better understanding leads to better buy-in; better buy-in leads to fewer loose laces.
