November 20 2016
By: Terry L. Mathis
I continue to meet and consult with organizations trying to remove the risks from their workplaces. While this can be a worthwhile endeavor, this very way of thinking is basically inverted. Safety is not a vacuum where all the risks have been sucked out of the workplace and the workers. Safety happens when an organization has a profound knowledge of the risks, a sound strategy for managing them, and the discipline to consistently work the strategy.
Safety excellence is the task of filling the organization with the right stuff, not just emptying it of the wrong stuff. Fill your organization with knowledge, strategy and discipline, and you will find the removal of risks is simply a part of the strategy. Leaving out the rest of these steps will hopelessly limit your success in achieving safety excellence.
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.
