how to inspire your people to work safe

How to Inspire Your People to Work Safe

Steve Wise December 2010


Workplace Safety – can impact so much & so many.

Not only does it involve keeping your Employees Safe in carrying out their responsibilities – but it also impacts the Efficiency, Cost, and Quality of your work operations.

In addition – you are directly impacting the Families of your People – by being able to send them home where they can enjoy a normal life and be able to continue to provide for their Family’s well being.


During my Career – I have been able to serve as both a Plant Safety Leader and now a Safety Leader at my organization’s HQ Level.

Along my way, I have found my Safety Positions to be one of my most rewarding jobs that I ever held – but they have also provided several painful moments when Injuries occurred to my People.

Workplace Safety is in my Blood – I have a strong Passion for it – I take it very seriously – I show others that I cherish being responsible for their Safety.

How to Inspire Your People to

Work Safe• For us Safety Leaders – we must

continually find ways to ensure the Safety of our People.

• Not only must it be our responsibility – but it should also be our passion.

• This presentation is offered to other Safety Leaders – on what I have found to be successful in getting my People to Work Safe...along my way.

How to Inspire Your People to Work Safe• Workplace Safety Starts with You

• Find Ways to Make Safety Important to Your People

• Walk Your Safety Talk

• Include Your People as Part of Your Safety Efforts

• Inspiring Safety via Communications

• Using Discipline & Recognition to Inspire Safety

• Always Look for Something New

• Safety Cannot Be Taken for Granted

WorkplaceSafety

Starts withYou

Workplace Safety Starts with YouI am a firm believer that the Safety Leader – is one

of the most critical elements of success to the Safety of an Organization and its People.

I believe that a Safety Leader –

o Is the one that drives the Safety Efforts of the Organization and its People.

o Should continually search to find ways to make Safety important to the Organization and its People.

o Provides various avenues that provide “Safety Takeaways” to the Organization and its People that they can use to help ensure their Workplace Safety.

Workplace Safety Starts with YouIf the Safety Leader is passionate about the Safety

of his or her People – it most certainly will be noticed – and more than likely spread to them.

If the Safety Leader truly relishes being responsible for the Safety of his or her People – the later will pay attention to their Safety Efforts and join them.

On the other hand, if the approach to Safety by its Leader is mediocre in nature – how could one expect its People to provide anything more than that.

The Safety Results of an Organization and its People – will more than likely mirror that of its Safety Leader.

Workplace Safety Starts with YouEXAMPLE: If you as the Safety Leader walk past an Unsafe Act such as the one pictured here –

• And only observe the event

• Staying out of the way and allowing “productive work” to continue

• Taking no immediate action(s) to stop or correct the Unsafe Practice

What does your non-action communicate to your People?

Workplace Safety Starts with YouThe following are my recommendations on what are the critical characteristics of a strong Safety Leader –

• BE A GOOD COMMUNICATOR – With anyone in your Organization – from Senior Management down to and especially with your People that are on the front lines.

• BE CONSISTENT – With your Safety efforts. Apply whatever you do evenly and across the board. Do not show any type of favoritism or partiality with Safety.

• PROVIDE SAFETY THAT CAN BE USED – Safety Efforts that you provide – must benefit your People. Not only must they enable your People to work safe / safer – but they must be accepted and used by your People.

Workplace Safety Starts with YouWhat makes a strong Safety Leader (con’t) –

• WALK YOUR SAFETY TALK – Do what you say – and say what you do. If you expect your People to follow the Safety Rules that you set / are in place – you better be the first to follow.

• EMPLOY “SAFETY EYES” – By this I mean getting your People to be an extension of you. It is much more beneficial if all of your People are watching for and correcting unsafe work practices than just you.

• KEEP YOUR SAFETY EFFORTS FRESH – By using current day technology, conducting interactive training, soliciting Employee input and recommendations, etc. Keep your People engaged and active in your efforts.

Workplace Safety Starts with YouWhat makes a strong Safety Leader (con’t) –

• BE SENSITIVE TO EARLY SAFETY PROBLEMS – By being watchful and in tune to detecting Safety Problems or Issues at their early stages – such as with soft tissues injuries, or new work practices that are unsafe. Act on them before they grow to be bigger problems.

• WORKPLACE SAFETY IS A TEAM UNDERTAKING – As the Safety Leader – one of your critical missions is to conduct your efforts in a Team fashion.

o You are responsible for your People’s Safety – therefore your Safety Efforts should be reflective of what they do and addressing the Safety Hazards that they face. Know what they are experiencing.

Find Ways to Make Safety

Importantto YourPeople

Find Ways to Make Safety Important to Your People

One thing that has amazed me in

my Safety Efforts – is how many People in general – do not think about their

Safety when performing their Job

Responsibilities.

Find Ways to Make Safety Important to Your People• As a Safety Leader – your number one task is to keep

your People Safe when they are performing their Job Responsibilities – via rules, training, auditing, discipline, corrective actions, recognition, etc.

• In order to be successful with this effort – I feel that as a Safety Leader – you must reach out and find ways to make Workplace Safety important to your People.

• You must conduct your efforts so that your People think of Safety before they act and perform their tasks.

• They must be aware of why Safety must be Important to them & know what are the Negative Consequences.

Find Ways to Make Safety Important to Your People

Here you must be able to Communicate Workplace Safety with your People.

You must be able to tell and show your People – how and what their Lack of Safety will do or cause them harm.

You must be able to put such in terms that will hit home – including with their Family members.

Now you may ask – “How can I make Safety

Importantto my People?

Find Ways to Make Safety Important to Your PeopleWhy Should Safety be Important

Reduces Exposure to Work Hazards that could

Injure or cause Illness

Injuries Disrupt Normal Routine – Work & Home Life

Ensures Work Process Consistency and Reduces

Chance of Injury

Loss of Job Knowledge – Having to fill Lost Position

with Backup

Possible Negative Impacts on Quality &

Efficiency

Cost to Employer – Added Cost negatively

impacts Financials

Impact on Family Life – i.e., Doctor Visits, Reduced Earnings

Unsafe Practices can Subject Co-Workers to

Injury or Illness

Damage to Tools & Equipment – and Cost to

Repair or Replace

Added Admin Time and Cost – i.e., covering Absence, Training

Accidents can Impact the Morale of Co-Workers

Rules & Regulations that must be followed

Find Ways to Make Safety Important to Your PeopleFrom a Personal standpoint – your People should know what and how an Injury can impact them directly –

• Personal Impact – A Workplace Accident may cause a disabling Injury that may be life long that can impact both what you are able to do at Work and Family wise.

• Reduced Wages – Delays in Lost Time Benefits kicking in, not matching Normal Pay, Benefits running out, etc.

• Family Impact – Time spent going to and waiting in Doctor’s Office and Rehab, Not being able to participate in normal day events, etc.

Find Ways to Make Safety Important to Your PeopleEvery Employee of an Organizational should be aware of what Worker’s Compensation Costs their Employer –

• EXAMPLE: If you Goggle the following statement – “How much does Worker’s Compensation Cost an Employer” – you will come up with several sources – the one that I chose is $2.42 per Hour Worked. www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm

• ANNUAL W/C $: Assuming an Organization with 300 Employees = 40 hrs/wk x 52 wks = 2,080 Annual Hours x 300 Employees x $2.42 WC/Hr = $1,510,080 Annually

• ANNUAL EMPLOYEE COST: 2,080 Annual Hrs x $15.00 / Hr x 1.5 Wages & Benefits & Taxes = $46,800

• W/C COST vs. PEOPLE: $1,510,080 / $46,800 = 32 Jobs – which means that W/C Costs just over 10% of the Workforce

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm



Walk YourSafety

Talk

Walk Your Safety Talk

As the Safety Leader

of your Organization – you must spend

time on theWorkplace Floor

with your People

Walk Your Safety TalkAs the Safety Leader of your Organization / Location – you need to see how your People work and the:

SAFETY HAZARDS that they experience

PROCEDURES that they follow

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT that they use

DIFFICULTIES that they face in Working and Safely

CONDITIONS that they work in and under

CHALLENGES that they face in completing their duties

RISKS that they take


How muchTime do You

need tospend in theWorkplace?

The amount of Time that you need to spend in the Workplace – Will depend upon how

Hazardous your Workplace is based upon the preceding factors.

And the Safety Performance of your People.

My recommendation is that you spend anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 of your Time where the action is.

YOU MUST KNOW WHAT YOUR PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING IN PERFROMING THEIR DUTIES & AND

HOW THEY ARE PERFORMING THEM.

Walk Your Safety TalkAs a Safety Leader – I would often walk my Shop Floor observing and talking to my People –• Job Observations – You must make a point to watch how

your People perform their responsibilities – and do so on a frequent basis. o Note whether they feel confident and are efficient at

completing their tasks.o Ask them if they have been sufficiently Trained.o Are they using the proper PPE, Tools, & Equipment.o Have them point out to you the Hazards that they

face in performing their jobs.o And ask them what they do to protect themselves

from such Job Hazards.

Walk Your Safety TalkShop Floor Safety Walks (con’t) –• Ask Your People Safety Questions – One of the loaded

questions that I would like to ask my People is – “Is Management doing enough to protect them?” o Encourage and be prepared for frank answers.o Be also prepared to do something about them.

• Don’t Be a Safety Cop – I have known individuals that love to walk around and find their People doing something unsafe so that they can penalize them.o Such action in No Way helps to promote Safety.o If you see someone doing something unsafe – stop

them and show them how to Safely perform.

Walk Your Safety TalkShop Floor Safety Walks (con’t) –• Take Notes & Act – The tools that I took with me during my

Safety Walks – was a Note Pad and a Camera.o NOTE PAD – If you take time during your Safety Walks to talk

to your People – you can rest assured that they will give you Safety Items to do. But to be successful with this effort – you must spend

time to act on what your People tell or ask you, and Then advise them of what you did with their requests.

o CAMERA – I feel that a Camera is critical to a Safety Leader – but you must know how to use it to promote Safety. Taking pictures of your People performing their

operations – can be used as a Learning Tool, Employee Recognition, compose Safety Training Material, or help you to deal with Workplace Safety Hazards.


In orderto help

Your People be Safe –

You must knowwhat your

People Facein their

Workplace

Walk Your Safety TalkShop Floor Safety Walks (con’t) –• Learn What Your People Do – In order to be an effective

Safety Leader – you must know what your People do and how they accomplish their duties.o By this I do not mean that you must be able to

actually perform their duties – but you should have a general knowledge of what they do.

o When walking – ask them to describe to you what they do, what hazards they face, etc.

o Such will give you an indication of how well that they know their Jobs.

o In addition, it will provide you the background to aid your Training or Corrective Action efforts.

Walk Your Safety TalkShop Floor Safety Walks (con’t) –• Use Outside Eyes – If you have been involved with

Safety long enough – you know that it is common place for someone who works at one location – to not see the same thing that an Outside Person would.o Whether it be due to seeing things so often it

becomes 2nd nature – or not having the right expertise / perspective to see anything different.

o Encourage Outside Safety People to stop in and advise you what they see and offer their thoughts and recommendations to improve Safety.

SAFETY EYES --- SAFETY EYES --- SAFETY EYES

Include Your People

as Part ofYour Safety

Efforts

Include Your People in Your Safety Efforts

Who would be best to know and give advice on how to perform

this Job Safely?

Include Your People in Your Safety Efforts

• One Safety Factor that I am adamant about – is that in order to Inspire Your People to Work Safe –

YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR PEOPLE IN YOUR SAFETY EFFORTS.

• I learned early on in my Safety Days – that if you expect Your People to accept your Safety Offerings – you better include them as a part of them.

• As a Supervisor, Manager, or Safety Leader – you can direct Your People to perform their Jobs Safely.

• But in order to truly inspire them to Work Safe – you must be able to connect with them and include them as an integral part of Your Safety Efforts.

Include Your PeopleThere are various ways in which you can include your People in your Safety Efforts –

• JOB HAZARD ANALYSIS (JHA’s) – Include your People in the preparation of JHA’s – since they are they ones performing the Work involved.

• SAFETY COMMITTEES – Make a point to form and use such Safety Groups – who should meet on a regular basis – to undertake various Safety Issues & Concerns of your Location.

• USE YOUR SAFETY REPS – Workers that volunteer to undertake this Safety role – should be used and treasured for representing the Safety of their Workgroup / People.

Include Your PeopleThere are various ways to include (con’t) –

• USE THEM AS INSTRUCTORS – When introducing new Methods or reinforcing existing Practices – use your People whom have the most knowledge on – to so conduct Training.

• SAFETY AUDITORS – If you employ the use of SA’s – include a representation of your People. They can very well offer different perspectives on various matters.

• SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS – It is a natural tendency for People to point fingers when problems arise. Turn the table on them when they do – and ask them for ways to solve such.

Include Your PeopleThere are various ways to include (con’t) –

• ASK THEIR OPINIONS – What better way to find out how they feel about Safety and your Safety Efforts – either taken or proposed – ASK THEM!

• HARVEST & SHARE BEST PRACTICES – As a Safety Leader when performing your Safety Walks and Talks – I would bet that you will see or hear of a possible “Best Work Practice.”o Not only must you be able to identify – but

you must verify that it is one worthy of – and can be truly used as a Best Practice.

o Then once identified, you must take the lead and share with others who may benefit from.

Include Your PeopleThere are various ways to include (con’t) –• GET / SOLICIT THEIR INPUT – One way to

engage your People is to include their input in various Safety and Production Efforts –o Tooling Purchases – If you are needing to

purchase various T&E for your workforce – have them be part of the Selection process.

o Work Practices – If a Production Instruction / Procedure is either new or changing – include a representation of the Workers involved – to help draft it.

Including Your People in Safety & Plant Efforts – should Inspire them – by allowing them to be

part of the decision / process.

Inspiring Safety

viaCommunications

Safety Communications

The Goal with Your Safety

Communications – should be to provide “Safety Take-aways” to

Your People.

Safety Communications• The best way to Inspire Your People to Work Safe via

your Safety Communications –o Is to give them something that they CAN USE.o That pertains to WHAT THEY DO.o And BENEFITS them in some way to work Safer.

• You should now be asking what was the purpose of the Picture on the preceding Page.

• My Answer: It has nothing to do with Safety in particular – but it did get your attention.

That is what your Safety Communications must do – reach out and grab your People – and give them

something that they can benefit from…Safety Wise.

Safety CommunicationsSafety Communications can and should take various forms –• SAFETY ALERTS – call attention to a Workplace Hazard, an

Accident or Injury that has taken place, a New or Change in a Work Procedure, or a discovered Defect.

• LIVE & LEARN EXAMPLES – are summaries of various matters from other Organizations or Sources – which can be used to educate and warn your People of like conditions.

• SAFETY SCORECARDS – is an internal summary report on how the Location / Organization is doing in terms of Safety Performance.o Lagging Indicators – Incident Rate, W/C Cost per Hour, etc.

o Leading Indicators – # of Near Miss Reported, # of Safety Audits Performed and Exceptions Completed, etc.

o Upcoming Safety Challenges

Safety CommunicationsIn order for your Safety Communications to make a difference with your People and Inspire them to Work Safe –

• Know Your Audience – Your Safety Communications should be directed specifically at the Work Group that you are trying to reach and teach.

• Maximize Their Safety Time – It is common place in many Organizations that Safety is “short changed” due to other priorities and time commitments.o Make sure that you know and are aware of the

time that Safety is afforded to your People – then do what you can to maximize it.

Safety CommunicationsIn order for your Safety Communications (con’t) –

• Tailor to the Specific Jobs Performed – My stance on offering Safety Communications to your People that are general in nature – they do not hit home with them.o In order for your Safety Communications to reach out and

grab your People – make sure that what you are offering – Pertains to what They Do.

• Use What You Learn from Your People – As a Safety Leader, you will always be learning something from Your People.o By using what you have learned from Your People – not

only will provide them some type of Safety Recognition,o But it will also show them that you care about them and

know about what they do and experience.

Safety Communications Always be prepared for the

unexpected. Inspect your Tools &

Equipment daily – and do not use them unless they are in a Safe Working condition.

Always be prepared for your T&E to fail – and position yourself accordingly.

Do not take Risks with what you do – sooner or later such will “bite” you. Learn how to Inspire Your People to Work Safe

through the Use of Pictures.

Pictures can send a Safety Message very quickly.

Oh Shix!

UsingDiscipline

& Recognitionto Inspire

Safety

Using Discipline & Recognition

When and

How do You

Use

Discipline &

Recognition

to Inspire

Safety?How many Safety Violations are found in this Work Practice?

Using Discipline & Recognition• As an active Safety Leader – I know that both

Discipline & Recognition must be part of both my and the Organization’s Safety Efforts.

• But the Question is – “How and When Do You Use Discipline & Recognition to Inspire Safety?”

o As a Safety Leader – Can you easily answer this Question?

• Does your Organization have hard and set Rules for when Safety Discipline & Recognition are to be used?

o My guess – like with my Organization – is that you do not and deal with it when You Need To.

Using Discipline & Recognition SAFETY DISCIPLINEShould & needs to be used –

When there is a fragrant violation of an established Safety Rule or Procedure.

In instances when an Employee risked their or a co-worker’s Safety – by placing themselves in a position that could have caused them great harm.

To call attention to and stop a grossly Unsafe Work Practice.

Using Discipline & Recognition SAFETY RECOGNITIONShould & needs to be used –

To spotlight the Safety Efforts of your People –

Who go out of their way to improve not only their Safety

But the Safety of those that they work with.

Employee Safety Recognition could be for – Improving a Process or T&E Identifying and/or correcting a Job

Hazard Being instrumental in their Work

Group Safety efforts

Using Discipline & Recognition Guidelines

TIMING – Both Safety Discipline and Recognition should be completed soon after Incident occurrence.

Taking such action quickly – reinforces the related Safety Action taken / needed.

Plus the longer that Time passes from the Incident in question – it will reduce any type of benefit that the Safety Leader or Organization may expect from it.

WELL EXPLAINED – In order to effectively Discipline or Recognize – any efforts taken regarding should be sufficiently explained – not only to the Individuals involved – but also to their Co-Workers.


DONE CONSISTENTLY – Discipline and Recognition when used in your Safety Efforts – MUST be done so consistently. By this I mean that Discipline or Recognition efforts

– must be taken no matter which Employee it involves – and in the same way with any Employee.

Any efforts to the contrary – will not only lead your People to question your Safety Efforts – but will result in them not trusting you as well.

Such efforts on your part – should include the input and support of your Senior Management.


USE EMPLOYEE INPUT – Regarding Discipline and Recognition by including their suggestions to and answering any questions that they may have.

EXAMPLE – My prior Plant found success with having our Employees that were found to violate critical Safety Rules – to discuss their Incident with other Employee Workgroups.

Such included talking about what they did wrong, how they did get or how a co-worker could get injured – and what they should have done to prevent the Incident.


To be successful with Discipline & Recognition – such Safety Actions must be – Completed Timely

Done Consistently

Well Explained

Fairly Applied to All

Done with the overall intent to Improve Safety

Always Lookfor

SomethingNew

Always Look for Something New

Don’t let Your Safety Efforts get “Old” because Accidents & Injuries don’t.

Always Look for Something NewTwo Questions for you here –Do your Safety Efforts ever get “OLD”?Are you able to determine when they do get old?------------_____________________

As a Safety Leader – to be able to continually Inspire Your People to Work Safe and keep them Engaged in Safety – I believe that you must be mindful:• That your Safety Efforts – i.e., Training, Meetings,

Audits, etc. – will at some point get old.• That you must be able to sense when they do.• And then refresh them to keep your People in tune

with their Workplace Safety and Your Safety Efforts.

Always Look for Something NewWays to Access Your Safety Efforts – ASK YOUR PEOPLE – For the umpteenth time – Use

Your People in Your Safety Efforts. To find out if your efforts work – ASK YOUR PEOPLE.o You can accomplish via your Safety Walks.o Or use Online Survey Tools such as “Zoomerang.”o Just remember – that once you start asking – you must

devote time and efforts to follow through.

LOOK OUTSIDE – To help assess what you do Safety Wise – benchmark your efforts to others.o Such efforts should include comparing your Safety Efforts

and Employee Safety Interaction/Engagement – to others.

Always Look for Something NewWays to Access Your Safety Efforts (con’t) –

SAFETY RESULTS vs. SAFETY EFFORTS – A Safety Leader should always compare your Safety Efforts – to that of the Actual Safety Performance of their Location.

o In your eyes – you could be the hardest working Safety “son of a gun” out there – but if the Safety Results of your Location do not match your efforts – there is a disconnect.

o If you are an active Safety Leader – than you would expect to see your People active in their Workplace Safety.

o If there is a difference between your Efforts and your Location’s Results – then you need to devote and spend time to find out why and change what you do…Safety Wise.

Always Look for Something NewLook for Something New – STAY MEDIA CURRENT – The Safety Leader should be

able to conduct his / her efforts with the most current media.o Make your Safety Training mobile – enable your Employees

to access “Online” and from anywhere.o Throw out your old VHS Tapes / Post Videos to “YouTube.”

CHANGE AS PROCESSES CHANGE – Make a point that whenever a Major Process Change takes place – that your Safety Training / Efforts change with it. o Your Safety Efforts must mirror and reflect the Current

Workplace – so keep up with what your Workplace does.

Always Look for Something NewLook for Something New (con’t) – USE OUTSIDE EYES – Whether it be with having

Outside Personnel visit your Facility or You visiting theirs – Learn From Others.o A Safety Leader should be able to walk into another Facility

and assess what they do Safety Wise – that could possibly benefit their own Location.

NETWORK WITH OTHER SAFETY LEADERS – Never assume that what you know and do covers it all. o Various sources include – Safety Organizations (i.e., ASSE),

Online Websites (Keller Online), or Networking Sites (LinkedIn) – use others as both Sources & Sounding Boards.

Always Look for Something NewLook for Something New (con’t) – KNOW & ADAPT TO YOUR PEOPLE – In our current

Workforce – it is fair to say that we have at least three (3) different Generations – that come with different Habits and Styles.o As the Safety Leader – you must know and be mindful of

the differences that you will face with reaching out and inspiring each of these Generations to Work Safe.

o In addition to finding out how to Inspire them – the Safety Leader must also know or find out how to teach them and with what methods.

o One may have to employ various ways in order to reach out and connect with each Generation.

Safety Can Never be Taken

for Granted

Safety Can Never be Taken for Granted

Accidents will happen –

• When You least expect them

• Often when You are not watching for them

• Normally after You have worked numerous days Accident Free

• Usually when You feel the Safest

• More than likely performing a Job that you have Safely done countless times before

Safety Can Never be Taken for Granted• The best advice that one can offer – is that Safety in

the Workplace is a never ending task FOR EVERYONE.

• Whether You are the President of your Organization, a Manager that has held numerous Positions, or a Mechanic with years of experience –

SAFETY CAN NEVER BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED

• Accidents and Injuries will always find you – once you take down your “Safety Guard” by not thinking of what you are doing or performing.

• Workplace Safety does not come easy – and must be worked at daily by each one of us.


To Inspire Your People to Work Safe and help Your People not to take their Safety for granted –

• You must Continually Talk About Safety with Your People – whether it be Job Specific or Learning from what others have done / experienced.

• Spend Time on Safety Training – by researching various Safety Topics – and tailoring it to what your People do and need in their Workplace.

• Know that Safety is a Journey and not a one stop affair that can be completed with minimal effort.


To Inspire Your People to Work Safe (con’t) –

• That as the Safety Leader – you must be Sensitive the to Safety Needs of your People and your Organization – by seeing issues at their onset.

• Set a Goal to Engage Your People in Safety – by devoting time to finding out how to include your People in your Safety Efforts – DON’T GO IT ALONE.

• Instill in your People that an Injury is Only an Accident Away – which can happen to any of them – performing any Job – no matter how many times that they may have performed it before.


To Inspire Your People to Work Safe (con’t) –

• Have Your People be an Extension of You – as mentioned before – having 100 pairs of “Safety Eyes” – is better than one pair. Inspire Your People to watch out for others and stop Unsafe Acts.

• Walk Your Safety Talk is another Safety Phrase that cannot be said enough – practice what you preach.

• Walk With Your Eyes and Ears Open – Be ready and prepared for the unexpected – Always be mindful to take time and listen to Your People.


In conclusion – I hope that this Safety Training Presentation

has given You ideas on How to Inspire Your People

to Work Safe.As a Safety Leader – it must be our

Mission & our Never Ending Goal tokeep our People Safe. Good Luck!Steve Wise – [email protected]

how to inspire your people to work safe

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