By Phil La Duke

I know it’s kind of a cheese-ball move but I thought I would devote this week’s blog to New Year’s resolutions for safety professionals.

Resolution #1: Less Focus On Preaching More On Teaching

Awareness campaigns are important for the unaware. But most workers who ultimately get hurt do so knowing something they know is dangerous, or at very least that they suspected COULD be dangerous.  Too many awareness campaigns make safety professionals feel good about themselves but come off as smug and condescending to workers.  So in 2013, safety professionals should resolve to spend more time and effort teaching workers core skills and competencies and less time telling them trite stories about workplace bogeymen.

Resolution #2: Open A Dialog.

Recently I posted about the dangers of complacency only to have many well-meaning safety professionals commented on how battling complacency underscored the need for daily safety talks. …