Beyond the office: Nurture safety as a personal value in every area of life

SAFETY must be instilled as a personal value and practised not just within the boundaries of the work premises.

We must convey the message that safety should be held as a cherished personal value.

In other words, safety must be practiced not only within the workplace but also in all aspects of our lives – whether on the road, at home, in schools, during sports and recreation, and even while on holiday overseas.

It should not be too challenging for safety professionals to convince employers that the company stands to lose just as much whether a worker is injured and incapacitated within or outside the workplace.

A company that genuinely believes in the safety of its employees will impress upon them to take precautions and avoid danger in all aspects of their lives.

For safety to effectively encompass all aspects of life and be reinforced as a shared value, lifestyle, and attitude, it is vital that there be involvement and participation by the community.

This can be achieved through community outreach educational programs jointly organised by various government agencies, professional bodies, and non-government organisations.

The educational programmes should target not only the working population but also the elderly, housewives, hawkers, shopkeepers, and especially young children. A well-informed and educated community regarding safety will naturally be one where members value and practice safety as a way of life.

In communities with a strong safety culture, members will have high expectations for safety standards and low or zero tolerance for anything that poses a hazard to the community or individuals.

Community members will be alert and responsive to any perceived threats to the safety and well-being of the community, promptly informing authorities to remove the threat before an accident occurs.

Safety professionals play a key role in forging safe communities. The natural outcome of safe communities will be a measurable reduction in all types of personal injury and property damage accidents for the population.