Are you a safety conscience person?

We live in a much safer world today than the world our grandparents lived in. With the constant stream of news and information readily available, the government and industry have taken steps to protect us. Based on the experience of the past, we are surrounded by protection but are we safety conscience people?

Over the years, adequate safety factors have been implemented to protect us from harm and injury, but do we adhere to these factors. Do we realise the consequences of not adhering to the developed safety factors surrounding us? Do you fasten the seat belt each time you get into a car? What side of the road do you walk on, or do you use crosswalks to cross the street? These are a few of the safety factors implemented for our own good and how often do we actually commit to the factors raises concerns as more and more accidents are reported.

We need to be reminded that we are responsible for our safety and must take action to make our lives safer including protecting the environment. We need to be aware of the safety requirements and possibly help others to live a safer life. Consider broken glass or jiggered metal on roads, this can cause tire problems for cars, or broken glass on beaches might cause unnecessary injury and pain to a person. Who is responsible for these nasty accidents, the people are not the system? We constantly need to be reminded of the importance of safety factors, and by doing so, we will be protecting the environment and people.

Accidents do not just happen. Accidents are caused by not being safety conscience. There is no bad luck or unplanned reasons for an accident. An accident should not happen at all.

Unsafe conditions can cause an accident. Your automobile if not maintained and periodically checked for faulty brakes, broken headlights and unsafe tires. Unsafe acts can cause an accident. Speeding and negligent driving or driving under the influence of alcohol are unsafe acts.

The safe and unsafe conditions exist, and either one can cause accidents. A car with faulty brakes is still a safe car and only becomes unsafe when someone starts to use it. Admitted the car was in poor condition, but that was not the cause of an accident, it was the driver who ultimately caused the accident by not adhering to the safety procedures of maintaining the vehicle to satisfactory levels.

There will always be unsafe conditions in life, but they will only be unsafe due to your own actions and how you relate to them. It is not carelessness, or poor judgement. A total absence of risks will not happen, and risks are voluntary actions and can be dealt with. A crisis can be met and controlled, but only with constant awareness and knowing about a particular situation of event. We cannot prevent dangerous happenings, but there is compensation or protection against a risk or unsafe occurrence.

There are four broad categories classifying accidents. Motor vehicle, work related, home, and public. The public category excludes work accidents in public places. Public related accidents category covers sport and recreation, air, water or land transportation but excludes motor vehicle and public building accidents.

Recent research determines that 1,000 disabling injuries occur every hour and motor vehicle accidents remain higher than injuries caused from home related incidents. The newspapers and internet are swamped with tragic accidents all over the world, and there is no decline, rather an upswing in accidents. Mostly the victim was someone who did not plan or expect to be hurt or killed. Adhering to safety procedures can save your life, and combined with common sense can make your life a safe one.

Safety at home is imperative, not just good housekeeping but having a safety attitude can prevent unplanned or serious accidents from happening. Frequent accidents happen at home, and it is rated second to motor vehicle accidents for the number of deaths occurred. Careless mistakes are often made.

We can classify home accidents into two categories, the individual and the community accidents. Earthquakes, tornadoes, storms and floods are unplanned, and these accidents can affect an entire community. You might not be able to receive help when a community accident occurs but you can be prepared for such a circumstance.

It is imperative to consider both types of accidents when doing a safety check for your home. Every home is different, and each family needs to develop their own plan, and it is wise to make a safety check on a regular basis. Become a safety awareness person for your family and community.