بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
Safety Is Not A Priority
Have you ever thought that what happens when we make safety a priority? We certainly make safety a priority, not only in industry but also in our personal lives.
Just think for a while when in your personal life, last time you have given this priority to your own safety, of course always we do. Similarly, in our professional life we claim it as well and we hear this in our meetings and slogans, that safety is our priority.
So, it means that it is a common approach and commonly we give priority to safety. As industrial professionals let us analyze how it is true and how it is beneficial for us when we are giving safety the priority.
If we look at one of major industrial disasters, Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion – 2010, total death count of 11 with 17 injured. About 134 million gallons of oil spill, resulting in huge environmental impact. 20 billions $ penalties to BP, in addition to other assets and resources loss. What caused it? Accepting a test for pre-removal of drilling mud, a risk which superseded in the impacts.
Similarly, the Piper Alpha – 1988, explosion and fire destroyed the North Sea platform. Total fatalities 167 people. Insured loss of 1.4 billion $, disruption in production and serious environmental loss. Leaves serious social consequences for survivors and their dependents & loved ones. A flaw in the work permit system and not having a proper shift handover, does worth human lives.
Another major example, Union Carbide’s Bhopal incident – 1984. A toxic gas release, large scale community exposure - about 500,000 people, and have about 3,800 instant deaths, followed by an estimate of 25,000 initial death total. 470 million $ in cost in settlement, in addition to other losses.
The largest community affecting accident, still has an ongoing impact on the community. Survivors endured chronic disease, disability, poverty, psychological trauma, and persistent soil and groundwater contamination. Management decision of cost saving through refrigeration and critical safety system, have no worth against the impacts of this incident.
What do you think was safety not priority for management and workforce of these facilities? Had they never said or claimed that safety is the priority?
Without any doubt, safety was a priority for them as well as it is for everyone. If it was true, then why did these disasters occur?
Very simple, Priorities are subject to changes, with respect to requirements. We change our priorities. Sometimes they are declared just to maintain goodwill - a cover page, and sometimes compromised by schedules and other times, cost.
A simple example, when we open roof-top cars, driving in lovely weather and a smooth road, but as it starts raining the priority is changed. We cover the top. why?
Because the condition the thing we are enjoying – no roof top, is not beneficial anymore for us. Therefore, we must cover the top. This is what we are to make the difference between our choice as priority or the permanent beneficial thing.
However, it is a matter of understanding whether what we consider beneficial or suitable for us is really or not - is it our actual need or not.
Yes! Need, this is what we care about actually, and this need is what is beneficial – fulfilling the need is what we are supposed to care about.
In all these three discussed major disasters, minor change in priority, a single swift impact, and the whole world is changed for all involved.
This is reality, this is nature, and this is what we must consider, Safety is Not a Priority; it is the Need. And Needs are not compromised; they are to be fulfilled. Like the headlights of vehicle, we don’t just use them when we expect bad road conditions, we always keep them on, while driving between dust and don.
Until we do not give a permanent plane to safety in our decisions and operations, we are always at great risk.
Consider it Need - Not a Priority.
Stay Blessed.
