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True stories with a common thread

Prevention is our core business. As a prevention advisor, you are usually busy preventing dangerous situations from occurring on the shop floor. As an auditor and investigator of industrial accidents, you sometimes have to deal with other situations... You need to have a strong stomach. You can, however, read on.

Companies confide in us and share sensitive information with us. That is why you will not find any traceable details here. So why mention them? For the simple reason that these cases show a common thread. A real risk that lurks around the corner in most companies.

No fiction
We do not make up the incidents below, but deliberately do not state or describe the circumstances. We keep the accompanying images in our archives, hopefully never having to look at them again. If you are interested in horror stories, we refer you to pages like this one. Unfortunately, these are also all true stories...

In our archives, in addition to the double fatal accident in Bilbao, there are other workplace accidents, most with permanent injuries. Each of these workers had extensive, even years of experience in the job in which the accident occurred. In no particular order:
- worker loses 3 fingers, a piece of the little finger, and breaks 2 thumbs
- worker loses 2 fingertips and narrowly escapes death
- worker loses 75% of the vision in one eye 
- worker loses 2 fingertips
- worker loses one hand
- worker gets metal wire through the leg (2 separate cases)
- worker suffers serious cement burns on his foot and shin
- worker loses 75% of sight in one eye

Recurring pattern
Have you discovered the pattern? We made no effort to hide the common thread that connects these men. Indeed, "each of these workers had ample, even years of experience in the job"...

47 years old with 15 years of experience, 57 years old with 28 years of experience, 30 years of experience, 57 years old with 18 years of experience, 48 and a permanent worker, 36 years old with 14 years of experience, 49 years old, 51 years old with 33 years of experience. You probably immediately think of colleagues in your own company now. Even though temporary workers and new employees are at high risk for other reasons, more accidents happen to experienced workers. Statistics speak of 60% more than the average number of accidents among workers over 55 and a significant increase in fatal accidents with advancing age. Of course, there is much more at stake than the number of years of life. So what is the root cause?

Complacency

The synonyms "self-satisfaction" or "smugness " do not cover the complacency syndrome. Complacency is simply the misjudgement of risk. The more often you do something without negative consequences, the less you think about possible risks. A phenomenon that is not really strange to anyone. Just look at yourself when you drive the very familiar road home and, without realising it, "suddenly" find yourself in your driveway without thinking about the potentially dangerous traffic situations along the way.

A false sense of security makes experienced employees ignore certain safety regulations. Every newcomer remembers the nerves of their first day on the job when everything was new and those rules were a handhold. After 1,000 working days, that same employee may have done those actions 10,000 times and fallen into a certain less attentive habitual flow. When you ask why someone does things in a certain way, the classic answer is: "We've been doing it this way for 20 years and nothing has ever happened."


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The risk perceived by this employee is the sum of what he perceives as dangerous and what the risky consequences of his approach might be. However, his self-confidence, which has grown over the years, is inversely proportional to his correct assessment. Sometimes it even decreases to the point of not perceiving any risk at all. In that case, the acquired skills and general experience have a negative influence on the work safety approach and the more experienced worker will make more dangerous choices than the newcomer. The workers who tell us "we've been doing this for 20 years" are not arrogant. They are simply speaking from experience. Their experience, but a potentially life-threatening experience.

Companies can also become "complacent" when they allow safety procedures to be taken lightly. When near misses do not lead to action. In short, when they do not make sustainable investments in occupational safety.

Nothing can be done?
Oh yes, it can. Fortunately! Besides being aware of this thread, there are also a number of signals that you, as an employer, can keep an eye on.

In addition, there are several training modules that keep both employers and employees in the loop. It is really possible to let people make that permanent switch to working safely. When organisations choose to work on these human factors, they immediately choose a long-term solution.

If you are also convinced that the complacency factor in your company is currently too high, don't hesitate to do something about it. Your human capital is too valuable to let your employees run unnecessary risks. Seekurico is your partner in this matter, from the moment you make that switch for your employees.

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Seekurico Ltd

Rode Kruisstraat 49
3540 Herk-de-Stad (B)

info@seekurico.be
Phone +32 (0)474 37 94 63

VAT BE 0683.484.566

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