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“What’s at stake if something goes wrong?

And how can I consciously

mitigate the risks?”
Justin Ganschow, Caterpillar Safety Expert

Very few industries focus more on safety than It’s this approach that helps create a safety
ours, and for good reason; risk is inherent in the culture at home, especially when it comes to
work we all do. So, to remain safe, daily safety children. It’s always best to be upfront with
briefings, training and PPE are common place. your kids about risks but also to stay positive,
And yet, who of us has made any attempt to you want them to recognize hazards without
apply these practices at home, or even discuss feeling so afraid that they’re unable to act.
with those we love the most, the benefits of a
strong safety culture. The truth is, very few of us. It’s also a good idea to keep things fun, a game
of hopscotch is a way of seeing how well your
We spoke to Justin Ganschow, Caterpillar kids remember important numbers. See if they
Safety Expert about why this is. can hop out 911 or your cell phone number.
Pose helpful questions like, “What number do
“When we’re at work, there’s a safety net you call if you smell a fire in the house?”
because people are watching. But outside of
work, either no one is watching, or people don’t Role-playing can also be a great way to
think it’s their job to say anything about safety. practice safety skills. You and your child can
So, it’s all on us to make the safe choices. play pretend that there’s a hurricane or tornado
Coupled with this is the fact, when people are outside. Make sure to teach them where your
overly familiar with a situation or task, they start emergency kit is and where they need to hide.
ignoring safety red flags. It’s how the brain works.
The first time you do something you spend more And don’t forget positive affirmation, when you
time preparing and thinking consciously about see your child doing something safe, such as
it. But the more times you do it, you think about putting on a bike helmet without being asked,
it less and it becomes automatic. Your brain pause to recognize the good behavior. It can
conserves energy this way. The hazard hasn’t be as simple as saying “Hey, I noticed you
changed, but our conscious focus on it has.” put on your helmet on your own. Good job!”

Justin’s solution to this is to take a moment We’ll leave the last word to Justin. “Know that
before you get started to ask yourself; What’s building a culture of safety, whether at work
at stake if something goes wrong? And how or at home, is a continuous improvement
can I consciously mitigate the risks? journey. You don’t have to have it all figured
out from the start. But you have to start.
As he explains, “If we make safety solely about Safety can be simple, but you have to think
rules and policies without understanding why and turn your intentions into action.” ■
we take precautions (what’s at stake if we get
hurt), then we’re missing the point and missing
the opportunity to make a real impact.”

Research by the National Safety Council found that 90% of
injuries requiring medical treatment happened off the jobsite.

Cat Magazine 13