subject: A Widespread, But Major Personal Security Method, Safety Vests Are Underestimated [print this page] A Widespread, But Major Personal Security Method, Safety Vests Are Underestimated
When we choose to engage in any human endeavor, from recreational events to professional pursuits, it is always in the back of our minds that doing so will not result in harm coming to us or those around us. Nevertheless, experience has shown us that when we are involved in processes, over time, we grow less intimidated by circumstance and machinery and more confident in our abilities. This can lead unfortunately to disastrous consequences, even when they could have been avoided by something as simple as properly donning safety vest in a dangerous environment.
By nature of being human, we are afflicted with a human psyche that encourages us to flaunt our physical mortality, to test our abilities and to try ever more difficult new experiences. It begins as children when we get the thrill of riding a bike. Soon, that is not enough excitement and we seek even greater adrenaline rushes. As we mature and socialize, our individual ability to tolerate risk begins to be a badge of courage and the more foolhardy we appear, the braver we seem. However, the importance of wearing lime t-shirts should not be deminished.
This dangerous outlook plays into our attitudes about everything we do. In addition, when we do get hurt, we have learned that though it will hurt for a while, we will heal and all will be well. Theme parks build on our sense of invulnerability by creating ever more breathtaking rides that are, at least in theory, unlikely to cause real injury.
By the time we enter the work force, we have almost all attained a level of indifference to the guidelines and cautions of our parents and society designed for our protection. Compounding the true challenges involved with risk management, many training aids and programs made available to businesses are sophomoric or simplistic, making it even more natural to ignore.
Rules and regulations are created from what is known in the profession of injury reduction as blood priority. We see it all around us in nearly every human effort. Things roll along smoothly until someone is the unlucky individual who proves doing a process a certain way can result in injury or death.
Once something has occurred and someone is injured or a fatality has been suffered, the system has to look for the root causes. This is no easy task, as the people involved who survived unscathed will naturally want to distance themselves from any wrongdoing. It is human nature to minimize our culpability and avert responsibility not explicitly assigned. No one wants to rat out someone for not following rules or doing something unwise.
With a dedicated effort, analysts often find, through the reality of injury or death, someone or groups willing to testify to the actual events leading to the tragedy. Not surprisingly, there is often a degradation in compliance with rules, a slacking of supervision, or just negligence involved. This is not an indication of a careless or incompetent work force; it simple reinforces the difficulty of the seemingly simple task of being careful every day.
