Comments on: Safety Awards Gone Bad http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/safety-awards-gone-bad/ A water cooler for the public health crowd Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:39:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Steven Hecker http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/safety-awards-gone-bad/#comment-38143 Steven Hecker Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:58:47 +0000 http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/?p=878#comment-38143 Good story. I've been struck over the years by a related pattern. Companies are finally hit with substantial citations and fines for fatalities, multiple amputations, etc. and the first thing they want to do is go for VPP (Voluntary Protection Plan) status, i.e. they're caught with a terrible safety program of many years making but they instantly want to show they're ready to join the leading edge. As Rory notes there's almost always a behavioral safety program along the way. Occasionally the dead bodies actually do wake up enough people that they get serious about the kind of change really needed, but more commonly it's 90% generated out of the PR office. Nothing like an award from peers or, better yet, a "regulatory" agency to help them with their effort. Good story. I’ve been struck over the years by a related pattern. Companies are finally hit with substantial citations and fines for fatalities, multiple amputations, etc. and the first thing they want to do is go for VPP (Voluntary Protection Plan) status, i.e. they’re caught with a terrible safety program of many years making but they instantly want to show they’re ready to join the leading edge. As Rory notes there’s almost always a behavioral safety program along the way. Occasionally the dead bodies actually do wake up enough people that they get serious about the kind of change really needed, but more commonly it’s 90% generated out of the PR office. Nothing like an award from peers or, better yet, a “regulatory” agency to help them with their effort.

]]> By: Rory O'Neill http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/safety-awards-gone-bad/#comment-38113 Rory O'Neill Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:57:33 +0000 http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/?p=878#comment-38113 ... and if and when cases get to court, these safety awards become part of their armoury of spurious defences, so they get off or get a reduced penalty. Of course, in some instances in some countries, there's even money changes hands before prestigious awards are handed out. They've even made a science of it all, behavioural safety. www.hazards.org/bs … and if and when cases get to court, these safety awards become part of their armoury of spurious defences, so they get off or get a reduced penalty.

Of course, in some instances in some countries, there’s even money changes hands before prestigious awards are handed out.

They’ve even made a science of it all, behavioural safety.

http://www.hazards.org/bs

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