8/7/2019 Principles of Lust for Life DETAILS

1/3

http://www.toolboxtopics.com/Contributed/Complacency 2.htm

TOOLBOXTOPICS.COM

COMPLACENCY

My dictionary defines complacency this way, self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual danger or deficiencies.

I am not sure of the statistics, however, there is no doubt in my mind that numerous accidents have occurred due to allowing ourselves to become complacent in our everyday activity. (On and off the job)

I have often said that working safely is not easy, nor is it automatic. We haveto work at it with the highest degree of awareness.

If we just stop for a moments and think we all can come up with instances that we did become complacent. It happens to us because we perform many functions on a

n almost continuous basis. Many of our jobs are repetitive in nature, and the more we repeat what we are doing, the better the chance that we are becoming complacent without even realizing it. Therein lies the potential danger, the danger of complacency.

We must remember, that life is what happens, when we are making other plans. Webecome complacent about our personal safety by repeated exposure to situations without consequence.

We take shortcuts and with the absence of consequents, cause us to become more lax about our personal safety, in other words we are becoming complacent.

Personal safety is not like a light switch that you can turn on or off. The per

sonal safety switch must continuously be in the on position.

Just because we feel safe, does not mean we are safe. On the contrary, feeling safe all the time, could be the biggest threat to our well being, because we are drifting into that complacent mode.

One key to avoid the complacency trap is to form safety habits. Habits that you doover and over until they override your former unsafe behaviour and become automated.

Habits such as, wearing gloves, glasses, proper foot wear, safety harness on andready to tie off, face shield when grinding, removing tripping hazards, attendi

ng safety meetings and paying attention, using seat belts, tying off a ladder etc etc.

Is it not better to form these types of automatic habits, and let them become the norm?

There is an old saying that familiarity breeds contempt. To paraphrase, I wouldsay that, familiarity breeds complacency. Lets work in a manner that we ensure we do not fall into the complacency trap.

III. ComplacencyWorld events have forever changed the way we live and act in our daily lives. Ma

ny of the things we took for granted have been inexorably modified, and we are forced to adapt our once-comfortable routines to accommodate the changes. Travelers notice an increased presence of security personnel in airports, train station

8/7/2019 Principles of Lust for Life DETAILS

2/3

s, parking lots, and other public venues. Our streets are patrolled more often and by greater numbers of police and security personnel. There is an increase inneighborhood watch groups, and our lives are suddenly less private.

We are on edge and very concerned. We worry at every turn that some evil might lurk in a hidden corner where we least expect it. We plan our activities with greater detail and vary our daily regimen a bit to be a little less predictable. We

want to be prepared. But who is the enemy? Whom should we watch out for? Thereare many fanatical factions in the world that could justifiably be labeled an enemy. However, of all the multifaceted dangers that do present themselves, complacency may well be our biggest adversary.

Complacency is a self-satisfied state of mind oblivious to any danger present. We regularly experience complacency in our personal lives and at our jobs. The key is being cognizant of its existence and the measures we can take to offset anynegative consequences. The places we feel the most familiar with can be the most perilous because the menace is not so obvious to us. When we feel confident the environment is stable, we often forget things are subject to change and becomeprecarious in an instant. We must learn to react and interact with our surround

ings to ensure we are alert to the possibilities of catastrophe.

Complacency is an attitude that determines how we respond to given situations. How many times have we heard the statement, "We have always done it that way." Ofcourse, it must be right if it has stood the test of time and repetitiveness. Not necessarily true! The very fact it is repeated often can draw us into the complacency trap--we learn to expect proven results until one day, the outcome changes for the worse.

Deliberately breaking rules, laws, and regulations is a transgression, and knowi

ngly assisting in the commission of such a wrongful act is complicity.

Complacency is a known problem and must be clearly recognized as a causal factorin accidents. There is no cure for complacency, but we must be ever diligent inour prevention efforts. J.C. Ryle so aptly wrote, "Do not suppose that it needssome great scarlet sin to bring you to the pit of destruction. You have only tosit still and do nothing, and you will find yourself there at last."

John McAuley---------------------------------------------------------http://www.toolboxtopics.com/Gen%20Industry/Controlling Stress.htm

GENERAL SAFETY- CONTROLLING STRESS

Stress. Many of us are faced with it everyday, but we might not know how to dealwith it. It is important to learn how to handle stress because it can affect our performance and relationships in our work and home. At work, stress can lead to distraction and cause an unfortunate accident. At home, stress can put a strain on family relationships.

Stress usually occurs when there are changes in our lives and we feel that we don't have enough resources to deal with those changes and demands. Which of the following do you think causes stress: getting married, winning the lottery, or having an argument? It is all of them. Stress can occur not only from negative life experiences, but also from positive ones. People react and deal with stress di

fferently, but common stress symptoms include upset stomach, fatigue, tight neckmuscles, irritability and headaches. Some people react to stress by eating or drinking too much, losing sleep or smoking cigarettes. Stress may also make you m

8/7/2019 Principles of Lust for Life DETAILS

3/3