Safe Spaces

When you’re sitting in the office or break room, It’s easy to have the sense that you’re safe. The hazards you need to be on the lookout for are found “out on the jobsite” not “back in the office.”

Right?

Of course not. If you need evidence to refute the view that certain places are “safe spaces” take a look at this recent event: it took place in a television studio! 

That reporter in harm’s way could have been seriously hurt – or worse! The video should be enough to convince even the biggest skeptic you know to take safety seriously no matter where they are standing – or sitting. There are no safe spaces.

But wait: there’s more!

The video also powerfully illustrates another fundamental truth about safety: the difference between a near-miss and a serious hit is found in the effect,  not the cause. 

For this event, something caused the television monitor to suddenly fall. When it fell, someone was sitting in harm’s way. The effect: a reporter was hit and hurt. If the monitor had fallen ten minutes after the show ended, nobody would have been standing in harm’s way and nobody would have been hurt.

Other than no injury, what’s the difference?

Nothing.

Paul Balmert
March 2021