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What Lies Beneath - Breaking down the SAFE acronym
Over the past few years, SAFE Work has become a sort of household name.
Many Manitobans can tell you what the acronym means: Spot the Hazard. Assess the risk. Find a safer way. Everyday.
It’s almost second nature for many. But what does this really mean? What does SAFE aim to do?
Put simply, SAFE is all about risk management – and it’s important for Manitoba workers to remember that.
Risks are directly linked to hazards. That is, a hazard is any behaviour or condition that has potential to cause personal or property damage. And risk - by definition – is the chance a hazard will result in physical harm or property damage.
Each time you spot the hazard, assess a risk or find a safer way, you proactively manage risks that could – if left untouched – cause serious harm to you, a co-worker or a member of the public.
Managing a risk can be as minor as moving a box which blocks part of a walkway, or as major as retooling an entire jobsite to prevent harm. No matter the scale, risk management reduces the chance someone will get hurt.
And that is the whole point of SAFE Work.
So embrace SAFE. Understand it. And – before setting out on any task – Spot the hazard. Assess the risk. Find a safer way. Everyday.