Does the person in the mirror always make the safest decisions? Is your safety reflection something that you would want your co-workers and family members to see or emulate? Do you see a few cracks in your mirror? Is the image cloudy? If left unchecked, those cracks might eventually shatter the image with dire consequences. It’s never too late to repair those cracks or to clean and polish your safety image! Here’s how:

Repair the cracks:

• Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of accidental deaths and injuries. Practice defensive driving tips and avoid distractions while driving. “Share the Road” and above all, “Hang up and Drive.”
• Slips, trips, and falls are the second highest cause of accidental deaths and injuries. Remember to maintain 3 points of contact when climbing ladders or stairs.
• Hand injuries remain a primary source of safety incidents, both on and off of the job. Most hand injuries can be prevented by wearing the correct gloves.
• Always wear the correct PPE, whether on the job or at home.
• Take advantage of safety training opportunities and make suggestions where more training is needed.
• “Take 2” – Always take a couple of minutes to survey your surroundings to identify any potential hazards, and make a Safe Plan of Action to eliminate those hazards. This should be the first thing you do at work, at home, and at play. Do it to protect yourself, your co-workers, your family, and even strangers.

Clean and polish your mirror:

• Safety is an attitude! It is not a set of rules or regulations.
• Safety is not a movie or a Power Point presentation.
• Safety is how well we process all of the safety data and information to build an awareness of our surroundings.
• Safety knows how to react to unsafe conditions and what steps are required to eliminate the hazards.
• Safety is taking the initiative to correct an unsafe behavior or condition before someone gets injured.
• Safety will not compromise “just this one time” or take an unsafe shortcut to get the job done.