July 1999
What's this got to do with safety?
Littleton
has brought home terribly that there are safety problems in our society that extend beyond the workplace. Should our concerns about safety be limited only to the workplace? Of course not.
I want to address these seemingly unstoppable rampages, both on and off the job, that are grabbing headlines these days. From what I've read, a thin line separates those who act and those who don't. The possibility of publicity is what can trigger these self proclaimed martyrs and their unmet needs for attention.
If that’s the case, who feeds the publicity machine? First, it is the authorities The very people assigned to protect us betray us by providing all the details to the second culprit, the news media. The news media, with all the detailed information given by authorities (police), make celebrities out of these killers, encouraging other border-liners to cross over and become "copy cats”.
The third culprit is, of course, you and I We watch and/or "read all about it”. But our need to know is created, glorified and enhanced by the press, who pump the authorities for more information than anyone needs to know.
We have all learned from some of the giant champions of our industry, such as the Jed Bullards, the Dr. Rick Fulwilers, the David Crannells and the Bud Orrs. They’ve taught us that there is a shared passion for safety in this industry that is much stronger than the average person's. Channel your passion by writing and talking to authorities and the media to convince them to act responsibly. I have - won't you? Let's reduce these workplace and non-workplace violent rampages.
Think about it.
George J. Hayward