Is "Zero Accidents" a realistic goal?

D

DrM2u

#61
It can be done for a very long time.

I recently had a previous employer announce that they had not had a single lost time accident in over 15 years in ANY of their 45 facilities in North America!!

To them Health & Safety was just as important as producing a quality product and it showed! They established a system that created situations where people could not get hurt! They carefully monitored "near-misses" as well so that the behavior could be changed for the better (no, this doesn't always mean discipline).
:thanks: Thank you for sharing with us this great performance and kudos to your client! :agree1:
Sorry but I have to disagree that it isn't possible.
:read: I think it was Napoleon who said that "Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools." ...
 
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S

samsung

#62
Sorry but I have to disagree that it isn't possible.
What isn't impossible, 'Zero Accident' or 'Zero Lost time Accident' ? IMO, both are widely different terms and the original post is centered at the former one.
 
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S

samsung

#64
if goal keeps us inspired, then target zero accident.
It's not matter of inspiration. Question is whether it is realistic and thus achievable. And next - if achievable, can it be sustained ?

It's easier to set goals and get 'inspired' but can 'inspiration' alone make it happen ? Are there enough evidence / case histories to support that it is how the 'inspired' folks achieved it in the past and still able to sustain the level once achieved ?

I am struggling to find a way to make it achievable in true sense and will highly appreciate if provided with some workable pointers.
 

SteelMaiden

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#65
I've read a lot of this thread, but I will admit that I haven't read every post. For some reason, I missed it earlier. IMHO, zero is the only acceptable goal. Will you volunteer to be the person to take the hit for the goal of 1? (I think that is more appropriate than asking who will be the person to get hurt)
 

Jim Wynne

Staff member
Admin
#66
I've read a lot of this thread, but I will admit that I haven't read every post. For some reason, I missed it earlier. IMHO, zero is the only acceptable goal. Will you volunteer to be the person to take the hit for the goal of 1? (I think that is more appropriate than asking who will be the person to get hurt)
There is, or should be, a difference between a goal and a desire. The former depends on quotas that might be unrealistic and a lot of "striving," while the latter describes the very real need to keep people safe from harm in the workplace, and to be able to provide objective evidence of our efforts in that direction.

The fact that we might acknowledge that a realistic view of the world includes the idea that accidents might happen--despite our best efforts to prevent them-- does not mean that we consider any number of babies dropped "acceptable."

This morning it's raining where I live, and I consider that unacceptable and will strive to prevent it from happening again.
 
S

samsung

#67
There is, or should be, a difference between a goal and a desire. The former depends on quotas that might be unrealistic and a lot of "striving," while the latter describes the very real need to keep people safe from harm in the workplace, and to be able to provide objective evidence of our efforts in that direction.

The fact that we might acknowledge that a realistic view of the world includes the idea that accidents might happen--despite our best efforts to prevent them-- does not mean that we consider any number of babies dropped "acceptable."

This morning it's raining where I live, and I consider that unacceptable and will strive to prevent it from happening again.
You have put up some excellent thoughts. One must acknowledge that it is almost impossible for a human being to design any system to have zero accident probability. What best one can do is to keep the probability of happening (occurrence) an accident as low as reasonably possible & logically acceptable by proper selection & use of man, machine, method, material or any other factors giving rise to probability of accidents.

A system can be, at most, designed to be 'fail safe' but not 'fail proof'. People commit mistakes however well you train & educate them. We are not living in a perfect world and one has no control over the stupidity of other people.

It is believed that accidents are preventable but not all and every time for sure because the level of efforts and dedication required to prevent the 'preventable accidents' is, IMO, very hard to attain. In such a state of affairs, one has to acknowledge that accidents are bound to happen inspite of the fact that no one ever wishes them to happen anyway.

Thanks again for a very good response.
 
N

ngaran

#68
It's not matter of inspiration. Question is whether it is realistic and thus achievable. And next - if achievable, can it be sustained ?

It's easier to set goals and get 'inspired' but can 'inspiration' alone make it happen ? Are there enough evidence / case histories to support that it is how the 'inspired' folks achieved it in the past and still able to sustain the level once achieved ?

I am struggling to find a way to make it achievable in true sense and will highly appreciate if provided with some workable pointers.
in life and business it's pointless to hope that accident won't happen. the key is plan ahead and act quickly i.e. set zero accident or at least minimize.
 
S

samsung

#69
in life and business it's pointless to hope that accident won't happen. the key is plan ahead and act quickly i.e. set zero accident or at least minimize.
I never indicated that one must not plan ahead for prevention of accidents. When accidents are inevitable, as you also admit, then what is the point in setting a goal of zero and never attaining it. Our objective is to reduce the probability of occurrence by all possible means.
 
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