Debunking Industrial Safety Myths
What prevents people from following safety rules at home and at work? Often, it is false beliefs, deep-seated mindsets, and incorrect behavioral norms — in other words, myths we believe in due to various factors.
“It won’t happen to me!” or “I’ve done this a hundred times and nothing happened!” — admit it, who hasn’t said or thought this at least once?
These beliefs lie at the heart of unsafe behavior, which can ultimately lead to various workplace incidents, including those with serious consequences for life and health.
How do we dispel myths accumulated over the years? By replacing them with new beliefs.
If an employee recognizes themselves in these scenarios and begins to doubt their long-held convictions, that is already a significant result. To replace a myth with a correct belief, one simply needs to return to their workstation and look at a familiar situation with fresh eyes, applying the knowledge gained. The ability to adjust and self-correct internal mindsets is another step toward developing a safety culture.
Many believe that a helmet strap is useless; others are sure that most accidents are caused by the “human factor”; and some are convinced that safety is the sole responsibility of HSE specialists.
