Put Your Phone Away and Get to Work!

This morning I was in the gym finishing up a great workout.?I had spent 30 minutes on the treadmill, completed 100 repetitions on the Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldown machine, and only had 15 or 100 reps left on the Hammer Strength Plate-Loaded Iso-Lateral Shoulder Press, then a song came on my Spotify mix that I didn’t want to hear. I reached for my phone to skip to another song.

Instead of grabbing my phone, I knocked it off the machine it was resting on, and it hit the floor. Even with the phone in a protective case, the phone screen still shattered. I guess the phone fell just right. Then again, it’s more like the phone fell just wrong.

I obviously wasn’t overly excited but wasn’t mad either as the phone was insured. I finished my workout, showered, and left the gym heading to the store for a replacement phone. I pulled up to the store and as I backed my truck in, I could see the store wasn’t open yet. I figured I would sit there until they opened so I left my car running, got out to check the sign and see what time they opened.

I get to the door and there is a big sign that reads, “Scan QR Code for Store Hours”. *I won’t name the store because the goal of sharing this story isn’t to bash this business.

Now, imagine this! I am not at a retail store that offers phones among many other products. I am at one of the brick-and-mortar locations of my business phone service carrier. I completely understand there are so many reasons a customer or potential customer would visit the store. However, is it fair to consider some of the biggest reasons for visiting the store would include the person not having a phone with them at that time?

Here I stand, in need of a phone, wanting to wait in the parking lot until the store opens, but having no idea what time they will open. I get back in my truck and wanted to be mad. However, I couldn’t help but laugh because the Safety Geek in me instantly saw so many scenarios where this same situation could occur when someone’s life is slipping away.

…

In that moment, my mind shifted to my thoughts of seeing QR codes all over the last few project sites and facilities that I’ve conducted mock OSHA Inspections.

There were QR codes for:

-?????????Directions to the nearest medical facility.

-?????????Safety Data Sheets (SDS).

-?????????Safety Manuals.

-?????????Reporting incidents.

-?????????Safety training.

-?????????Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

-?????????Equipment inspections.

-?????????Vehicle inspections.

-?????????And more.

Now add in how many companies have written policies that have expectations of employees not being on their phone while working. Some even go further to not allow the phone in the work area.

I think of situations where safety information is said to be “readily” available even though the only person in the area with a phone or tablet is likely the Supervisor. I also think of a scenario like me shattering my screen during a workout. This is certainly a possibility for anyone who has their phone with them while working.

…

I don’t have to do the typical Safety scare tactic of describing a life or death situation where a phone wasn’t available, information was needed, it couldn’t be accessed, and someone died. I’ll leave that to your brain to create.

I do want to share this story as a reminder to us all… When we are developing or revising Policies, Procedures, Site-Specific Safety Plans, Accident Prevention Plans, Activity Hazard Analysis, or any other safety related plan, don’t get too caught up in the latest and greatest that we forget the basics.

It doesn't always have to be fancy, but it MUST be effective. Hope this story helps someone…

Let’s Not Meet By Accident! ?