Danger danger everywhere
December 18th, 2008
My friend and writing colleague MrK has had a longstanding obsession with the risk-obsessiveness of modern society. Something about wearing helmets while skiing I think. In his concern about civilizational decline as exemplified by increasingly neurotic efforts to drive all risk out of daily life, he himself heroically assumes mortal risks of death through high blood pressure, myocardial infarct, aneurism and simple cranial explosion.
In this vein I recently read a prescient book by Frank Furedi, Culture of Fear, which analyzed this trend more than 10 years ago. Furedi sounds like an interesting character – son of Hungarian refugees from communism yet founder of the “Revolutionary Communist Party”. It’s a good book, worth a look, with interesting ideas about the development of political correctness, of which today’s safety cult is one branch.
By safety cult, I don’t mean a somewhat over-zealous safety manager out on the oil rigs, in a gas plant or a trucking chain. I’m talking about safety programs in white collar situations – in head office. Some beyond parody. Safety consciousness in the workplace has been around at least as long as I’ve been working and seems particularly developed in larger organizations.
I remember a safety campaign at a large multi-national back in the eighties that involved stern ladies inspecting the workplace for obvious or lurking hazards. The safety brigade would snoop around offices checking for unstable loads on bookshelves or heat registers clogged with sloppy piles of files. The most memorable incident was when the safety lady noticed geo-scientists working with long metal rulers – the size of broadswords – and exacto-knives (box cutters) to construct cross-sections, trim maps etc. Mayhem ensued. The corporation was overcome with visions of severed fingers and other body parts strewn on the floor – perhaps also a prohibitive insurance liability. The rulers were confiscated and high, perpendicular metal guards were welded on them before they were returned to the staff.
An alert reader sent me a recent safety missive that was circulated by her company. It involved…wait for it…parking lots. The alert was not about the threat of criminal assault late at night. Apparently, we are all in danger even when stationary or moving very slowly. This is how it began:
At quitting time, a parking lot can resemble a demolition derby at the race track. It sometimes seems that the first driver through the exit will win a trophy. To lessen your chances of being involved in a parking lot collision, think about the following safety suggestions…
These included:
Do a circle check of your vehicle before you get into it. Look for any obstacles which you might strike as you start to move. Even a lunch bag with a glass container might be enough to puncture your tire. Also check to make sure your vehicle is fit to drive, with properly inflated tires and unobstructed windows and lights…
Before starting your vehicle’s engine make sure your parking brake is applied…
Take your time backing out of your parking spot…
Falls are a common accident in parking areas. Wear non-slip footwear when conditions are wet or icy. Watch where you are going and be alert for obstacles such as curbs and broken pavement. If you are carrying items, make sure you can see over the load. Check the footing before you step out of your vehicle – it could be icy…
These wise words were interspersed with admonitions to “buckle up”, obey traffic signs, use your turn signals, etc. And the final advice was:
Wear light-coloured or reflective outer wear if you’re walking after dark so you will be seen by drivers. Parking lot safety is good common sense. As children we were taught to look both ways and watch where we are going. Now that we are adults we should remember what our parents taught us. It could help us avoid a parking lot demolition derby.
“As children we were taught…” Interesting that the writer assumes his audience has the approximate maturity of an eight-year-old. Otherwise he might simply say “act responsibly” or “use common sense”, rather than warn about ice-covered lunch bags on the pavement. On the other hand, simple expectations that people behave responsibly don’t pay the salaries of full-time salaried safety staff or the expert consultants they engage to provide advice nobody would ever have thought of.
