November 11 2018
By: Terry L. Mathis
We often ask our clients what they perceive to be their greatest challenges in safety and they repeatedly respond that they are overloaded with safety information and directives and have inadequate time to respond and react. It is incumbent on safety professionals at all levels to consolidate and simplify safety for all concerned. This means abandoning the age-old adage that more is better.
Almost without fail, when an organization is not performing to their satisfaction in safety, their first impulse is to add new directives, new training and/or new programs. Often this approach greatly exacerbates the problem which is that they already try to do too much at once. Even if safety pros accurately identify a dozen things that need to be done, they should line them up as steps rather than trying to tackle them all at once. If you are not sure if you are overloading your workforce, test their knowledge of recent programs and see how much is actually known and practiced.
Terry Mathis, Founder and retired CEO of ProAct Safety, has served as a consultant and advisor for top organizations the world over. A respected strategist and thought leader, Terry has authored five books, numerous articles, videos and blogs, and is known for his dynamic and engaging presentations. EHS Today has named him one of the '50 People Who Most Influenced EHS' four consecutive times. Business leaders and safety professionals seek Terry's practical insight and unique ability to introduce new perspectives that lead to real change.
