The Danger of Same Old Same Old

Anything that becomes too routine quits grabbing our attention.  If we follow routines we can form habits and make certain behaviors more or less automatic, but appealing to the automatic does not trigger further improvement.  So what happens when safety meetings and safety communication become too routine?  Workers tend to tune them out and go about their business.  Safety doesn’t necessarily get any worse, but it also does not get better.

Almost every organization either sets goals, starts new initiatives, or just wishes real hard to make safety results better this year than last year.  But the same old routine will not make it happen.  All safety meetings and communication should avoid routine like the plague.  Everything about safety needs to be focused on improvement targets and reporting progress toward goals.  Even accident reports should be compared and contrasted to targeted improvements to align effort with desired results.

When safety is current and meaningful, the same old same old disappears and bright targets take its place.  Workers see the light at the end of the tunnel and develop a sense of direction.  Progress motivates more progress and true improvement becomes possible. 

-Terry L. Mathis

For more insights, visit www.ProActSafety.com

Terry L. Mathis is the founder and CEO of ProAct Safety, an international safety and performance excellence firm. He is known for his dynamic presentations in the fields of behavioral and cultural safety, leadership, and operational performance, and is a regular speaker at ASSE, NSC, and numerous company and industry conferences. EHS Today listed Terry as a Safety Guru in ‘The 50 People Who Most Influenced EHS in 2010, 2011 and 2012-2013. He has been a frequent contributor to industry magazines for over 15 years and is the coauthor of STEPS to Safety Culture Excellence, 2013, WILEY.