One of the most overlooked aspects of our journey through each day is the aspect of safety. Now granted, in certain situations it’s given more attention than others; if you work in a pillow-testing factory, your concern with safety would be different from that of construction workers walking around on girders located dozens of stories up in the air. But in our general everyday lives, we don’t give safety a second thought.
My views on safety changed when I spent some time visiting the headquarters of a major oil company on the west coast a few years back. They actually had a daily “safety moment”, where everyone left their offices, went out into the hallways and stretched. The idea was that people would be healthier if they did this every once in a while, as opposed to simply sitting all morning or all day without ever moving. Other safety moments consisted of messages through the intercom system reminding workers in various different ways to always be careful.
This was pretty extreme to me, but it reminded me that safety moments happen throughout the day, every day, no matter where we are. You never know when you’re going to walk into the corner of some furniture and break a toe (I’ve broken several toes in my life, that’s what I get for taking my shoes off in the house). Or bump your head on a cupboard door, like I’ve done countless times. Or trip on the stairs and break a kneecap like I did 8 years ago.
Danger lurks in grocery stores (slip & fall, product falling from shelves), as well as retail stores, convenience stores, warehouses, in fact any type of public environment that we walk into. Granted the risk can be very small, but it’s always there. A much greater risk is when you’re behind the wheel, whether there’s bad weather or bad drivers endangering your trip to a friend’s house.
Whether you’re in a store (perhaps with merchandise on racks), driving to or from a store, or at home with family, Be Safe. Watch out for others. Constantly survey your surroundings for safety risks, and anticipate where the likelihood of accidents may be increased.
And whatever you do, watch your toes!