THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF SAFETY

When discussing injuries and the importance of working safely, we often discuss how an injury would affect an individual’s immediate family or loved ones.

While this may be an effective method to provoking thought in an individual worker, the not-so-immediate effects of working unsafely need to also be discussed. There is often a far-reaching ripple effect of consequences from any incident that occurs, even if it does not result in injury.

The Ripple Effect

The ripple effect is a commonly used concept today. Merriam-Webster defines ripple effect as “a spreading, pervasive, and usually unintentional effect or influence.” In the field of environmental remediation, our projects are spread out across the country.

You may never see or work with the other 90% of the company’s workforce. It is easy to fall into a state of mind that what occurs on your project mainly affects just those people and that project alone.

Why You Should Focus on the Large Ripple

This idea of a larger ripple is effective in thinking of how to pass safe habits on to colleagues. Even if they do not enjoy working for the company as much as you do, it’s impactful to share some type of feeling of responsibility, to complete one’s best work for the other employees in the company.

If someone is planning on quitting and decide that they are willing to take risks, they need to understand that there are others depending on the success of the company.

One simple action or decision that leads to a negative event can have far-reaching & long-term consequences. It is easy to think that high level of management doesn’t work as hard or as much, versus the individual worker thus making it easier to rationalize taking short-cuts or putting in little effort at work. It is more difficult to brush off the idea that an individual’s lack of effort or unsafe work behavior is hurting their fellow employees in the company.

What kind of ripple effect will you make? Is it pervasive in a good way? Let your work have a larger positive effect on your company. Challenge those around you to have a positive effect that reaches far past the immediate jobsite, office, or branch they work in.