Death on the jobsite: It only takes a second

An on-the-job accident has a ripple effect that few people can anticipate. That’s not something most heavy equipment operators like you think about when you climb into the cab in the morning to start your shift. But perhaps you should. It only takes a second...

1. For a safety issue not reported to cause a serious accident

2. For a careless act or a shortcut taken to lead to a lifetime of regret

3. For a co-worker’s life to be cut short

4. For a spouse and children to be orphaned - forever

5. For a family’s livelihood to disappear - overnight

6. For extended family, friends and acquaintances to feel the inconsolable sadness of never seeing their loved one again

7. For a crew to be traumatized for life by what they witnessed

8. For a thriving business to be seriously damaged

After the accident Imagine for a moment that you caused such an accident. Imagine how you would feel. Not just in your head, but deep down in the pit of your stomach. Your spirit. Your very core - shaken. It hurts. A lot. Nothing will ever be the same. From now on, you’ll measure time in two increments: Before the Accident and After the Accident. It will haunt you the rest of your life. You won’t sleep well for months - maybe years - as your mind plays and replays what happened, in vivid detail. It won’t leave you alone. You’ll play through scenarios in your head about what you should have done differently. You’ll kick yourself for thinking that fateful morning, "It’s OK. Nothing will happen." Only it did. And someone close to you died a horrible and unnecessary death.

Don't let this happen to you Don’t let this happen to you. Resolve today to adopt an unwavering commitment to safety on the job site. Pay attention to what you’re doing, and what’s going on around you - at all times. Like a defensive driver anticipates the stupid, senseless acts another driver might do, you need to adopt a similar mindset about the people and machines working around you. People get busy. They don’t think. They take shortcuts. And they die - unless you anticipate their actions. Their lives depend on you. Don’t let them down.