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Also, a personal story of a one-in-a-million event can have more impact than a statistic showing a one-in-a-thousand risk of injury. Ask these advocates to share their experiences during meet- ings and encourage them to approach coworkers if they observe unsafe behaviors. They’ll remind coworkers to follow the rules by offering encouragement, not by threatening to report violations. Some employees regularly disregard the rules, but you can probably think of others who consistently work safely and report hazards. Ask what motivates them and encourage them to share their reasons. Responses like, “I wear hearing protection because my dad needs a hearing aid and I don’t want to end up like that” can encourage other employees to make the safe choice. Safety advocates lead from the middle by inspiring others. Addressing Negative Attitudes If you ever thought that someone needed an “attitude adjustment” toward safety, remember that attitude is a symptom of a deeper motive. Negative attitudes occur for many reasons like rebelling against authority or believing that safety slows production. Until you find and address the motivation, you can’t change the attitude. For example, some employees choose not to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Demanding that they wear it may address the immediate situation, but it won’t make them choose to wear PPE in the future. Conversely, you might acknowledge that the injury probability is low, then describe the potential in- juries that could occur. Ask employees to consider the impacts of those injuries. If everyone shares a goal of avoiding injuries, using prevention measures should also be a shared objective. Explaining Who Pays the Price The company pays the costs of safety compliance, but employees pay the price for injuries. Hearing loss, amputations, serious back injuries, or eye injuries are all life-changing events, but they are all avoidable. Employees need to recognize how safety benefits them and how ignoring safety hurts them. They should also understand the concept of risk, and why low probability does not equal low risk. Finally, they should understand that they can choose to keep themselves safe. You could try to force employees to comply, but if you help them find their own motivation to stay safe, they’ll choose to work safely for their own benefit. Better yet, they’ll start looking out for each other. If keeping them safe is your goal, and avoiding injuries is their goal, you can work together to build a stronger safety culture. Edwin Zalewski has been a valuable member of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. since 1999. Serving as a Senior Editor on the EHS Publishing Team, he researches and crafts engaging content covering a wide spectrum of safety-focused subjects. Partner with industry-leading experts to address all your electrical safety service and training needs. SERVICES » Arc Flash Studies » Electrical Safety Programs » Audits » Thermal or Infrared (IR) Electrical System Scan TRAINING » Low Voltage Qualified *2024 UPDATE* » High Voltage Qualified *2024 UPDATE* » Arc Flash Safety for Utilities » Train the Trainer » Lockout/Tagout *NEW* » Electrical Safety Awareness for EV Technicians *NEW* (502) 716-7073 www.e-hazard.com wwewH.aozhasrdo.indldine1.com NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 | Occupational Health &9/1S2a/f2e3ty3:15 P3M1