March 06 2023
By: Shawn M. Galloway
What experiences have shaped your safety behaviors? On a consulting project in 2006, a public utility's safety professionals were on an urgent mission to remove all the "Caution! Please Open Doors Slowly" signs from the doors to the restrooms in the administration building.
Watching this happen, I inquired. I learned the building we were in was where community members would come to pay their bills. The door to access the restrooms had no way to see what was beyond it, no window. It also did not have a quarter circle painted on the other side where you sometimes find a statement, "Do not stand here." As there was a concern someone might open the door and make contact with someone on the other side, they put up a red plastic sign with white lettering saying, "Caution! Please Open Door Slowly." 
The problem with this safety sign is it had sharp corners. A community member attempting to open the door with the palm of his hand received a laceration as he contacted the corner of the sign. Yes, folks, the safety sign injured someone.
To this day, I always open doors slowly. Why? Because I remember this experience. Remember to include why a behavior is essential when looking for a change. Most people remember stories and pictures, not facts and figures.
"After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world." - Philip Pullman
"Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why." - Bernard Baruch
"Yesterday's weirdness is tomorrow's reason why." - Hunter S. Thompson
Shawn Galloway, CEO of ProAct Safety, is an expert in safety excellence. With almost thirty years of experience, he is a highly sought-after advisor, keynote speaker, and expert witness. Shawn has become a trusted partner to leading organizations across various industries worldwide. He ranks in the top 1% of the most prolific writers in his field, having authored over 500 articles and several bestselling books. He also launched the world's first safety podcast, Safety Culture Excellence©. As a recognized authority in safety, Shawn has received awards such as being named among the Top 50 People Who Most Influence EHS and a Top 10 Speaker, among others.
He is a regular guest on Bloomberg, Fox News, The Daily Mail, Dubai One, U.S. News & World Report, Sirius Business Radio, Wharton Business Daily, and leading safety magazines and podcasts. Shawn also serves as a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, Forbes Business Council, and Fast Company Executive Board, enabling his influence to shape safety thinking and strategy at the executive level.
