[kozhissery]

While having casual chat with friends, the topic of Safety was put up. The chat culminated in serious discussion and prompted me into thinking more about it. I thought of putting it here as we tend to discuss a lot about safety features, safe driving etc and wanted to know if anybody shares my thoughts. Here are some of my findings/thoughts:
PS: These are categorised as @Home, @Public Places, @In Office. Driving/Vehicle/Road behaviour has been left out (No point in repeating it here).

@Home

1. Electricity: Most of us might be having inverter at Home. At many places the wiring is done in such a way that the loop comes inside the ELCB and so when the power is out inverter gives power. The problem with this is that if somebody is getting electrocuted, ELCB will function thus tripping the main line but Inverter will start and the person will continue to be electrocuted.
2. In kitchen it is seen that many parents carry the kid there and put them there in the pretext that they can watch more easily. But this is too dangerous as kids might handle/meddle with pans/utensils accidently.
3. In most houses we have sharp corners like tables, washbasin etc. If there are small kids, they tend to run amok and might have accidents. I’ve seen people covering these corners with thermocol (using cello tape to hold).
4. In many houses stairs to upper floors usually do not have gates. If there are small kids it is an open invitation for disaster.
5. Dangerous toys particularly made of low quality plastics and/or using lead based paints.
6. Giving toys to kids which are not appropriate for the age. Many a times we tend to ignore the label (like suitable for 3+ or 5+ etc)
7. Keeping tools like Swiss Army Knife/Leatherman etc where small kids can easily access it.
8. Changing of Gas Cylinders at Home by “Gas” delivery persons. Couple of years back when a gas cylinder was being changed at home by authorised person the gas cylinder developed a leak in the faulty valve. Luckily dad was there and he opened all the windows and switched off the main switch though there was no electricity at that point of time(in case electricity comes back, there might be some spark). The cylinder was taken out to the field with the plastic cap (to minimise the leak). Lucky that it happened in our village where the house was adjacent to the paddy field, can’t imagine what would have happened if it was a flat.

@Public Places

1. Walking with Kids on Roads: I’ve seen quite a lot of times parents walking on the left side of road with kids holding their right hand.
2. Using Lifts: Even if the warning says “x persons or y KGS” we tend to cram inside the lift till it gives warning message.
3. Crossing railway lines: We tend to see people scrambling at railway crossing to cross first.
4. Crossing railway platforms: Nothing new, everybody knows it.
5. Letting the kids play around escalator – seen a couple of times in malls.

@Office

1. Working on high rise buildings without safety gears (even educated people tend to overlook it).
2. Working with electricity: Couple of times I’ve seen “educated” electricians working on live wire.
3. How often we do actively participate in fire drills? In the place (Technopark) where I work, we do have mock fire drills and most of the people either ignore it or see it as a chance to go out and have coffee.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Shifting Gears Section. Thanks for sharing!

Here's a related thread (What to do if your House / Office catches FIRE).

[V.Narayan]

Yes your assessment is correct. Thank you for raising this topic of utmost importance. As a culture safety is not yet on our agenda. In terms of safety we are at the same learning curve that the Anglo-Saxon societies were in say 1925 or at best 1935. Over time they evolved to their current consciousness and practice of safety and valuing human lives. Should we improve - of course we should. Will we improve - yes we will but it will be a process of osmosis over two more generations.

All, Let me illustrate this osmosis by two examples albeit in a different sphere. Getting to meetings on time - in the 1980s before the mass of corporate India got exposed to the Western way of doing business it was a rare meeting that started on time or where the visitor showed up at your office within 10 minutes of the appointed start. And minus 10 minutes was considered jolly professional - Bombay time; Delhi time was 25 minutes. Today things are better - not German but hugely better. Best of all even the bureaucrats in the ministries (at least in New Delhi) meet you at the appointed time. In the 1980s this was unthinkable. Change is so gradual you don't see it. A team of mine recently visited, on business, 3 neighbouring SAARC countries. In Nepal and Pakistan a private sector to private sector business meeting usually starts 30 to 40 minutes late and this experience was repeated every time without exception despite the fact that the visitors had travelled in from overseas. No offence meant but as a society they are at an earlier stage of the curve in this respect at least. Another example of osmosis.

When I was a child, at the dawn of the paleolithic age, it was common place for a relative (often with family) to simply drop in with no prior intimation and say we've come here for a short holiday and guess what we are staying with you. The decency and manners on this aspect simply didn't exist. That's what they saw their parents doing in 1935 and were simply copying without thinking. And I am referring to relatives who were not so close and were senior professionals, IAS officers, doctors etc. Period. In the middle and upper classes this almost doesn't happen anymore. So change will come but in drops. In 2 generations it will be different. In between several unfortunates will lose life or limb. Our unconcern for safety is some where linked to fatalism, karma, and lack of desire, in many, to pursue excellence.

[arvind71181]

Safety? We are not ignorant, but we do not care. "It will happen to me", is the safety mantra that we unfortunately follow. Some people survive safety lapses and probably learn, many people survive lapses but dont learn and most people don't survive the lapses :(

[OrangeCar]

It’s a combination of both. Ignorance (don’t understand technicalities like a gas cylinder next to hot stoves in crowded public areas is a safety concern) plus I don’t care/I am quite Macho for something to hurt me (I can ride on wrong side of road without helmet at high speeds wearing ear phones).

But.. things will change. Because, two things are changing.

One, regulation. New motor policy, new building constructions keeping fire codes in mind, newer restaurants having fire exit markings, etc.

Two, costs. People are slowly understanding that ignoring safety can hurt them. And if hurt, it costs a bomb to fix it. Hospital expenses are huge. Insurance costs are high. I firmly believe it is this realisation across the board that it costs to ignore safety is going to be the driver towards change in attitude.

But.. the question remains when? It is frustrating that it is taking a lot of time. But I am sure with the era of communication, exposure to developed markets’ lifestyles will drive us all to adopt safety measures sooner (shorter time frames) than what other countries have.

[Holyghost]

I think ignorance is the most important factor here. People are not getting the right safety education, they are only getting safety warnings which they choose to ignore.

Lets take the case of helmets. People only get a warning about the serious injury and even death that can happen in case of accidents without helmet. And what enters their mind is that I am a safe rider, so accidents may not happen. Or, that I have been riding for the past xx years and I can control any adverse situation. If we can make these riders understand the risks and show them how accidents happen even to the most skillful and safe riders, there will be a change.

To quote my own experience, I recently used a chain saw wearing just a helmet, gloves and safety shoes. I pride myself about being safety conscious but I was ignorant of the chain saw risks. After a few weeks, I happen to see a safety video about proper usage of chain saws where they showed different accidents that happened and other risks. I was shocked and I would never ever use that saw again without the safety jacket and trousers.

In another incident, my neighbor borrowed my cordless hackzall and drill and I was appalled to see him using the drill without clamping the metal which he was drilling. Nor did he have safety goggles or mask. I initially requested him to use the safety kits which he ignored. I had to politely ask him to stop the work. Showed a couple of short youtube videos on how the metal piece could endanger him or someone else passing by and what the metal dust can do to his eyes and lungs. I am sure he will never use these tools without the right safety kits and he will definitely educate others.

[Naveen_0181]

Originally Posted by kozhissery

@Office

1. Working with electricity: Couple of times I’ve seen “educated” electricians working on live wire.

I have seen this happening in front of me, I work at a MNC where all the support staff are well trained!
Here is the conversation between me and the electrician who came to fix a issue at my desk.
Me: Is that wire live?
Electrician: Yes, it is.
Me: Why are you touching the un-insulated wire with bare hands?
Electrician: I am wearing boots, nothing will happen!
Me: But your other bare hand is on the floor which is not good
Electrician:The floor has carpet hence its is fine, we do it daily.
Me: RIP safety

[kozhissery]

This happened to me today and realized the danger.

I was driving from office to home for lunch. Usually I keep the things from my pocket in the car box, but today did not do that. When i braked to let an auto sneak through, could feel the pen pressing against my chest (pen came between seat belt and chest). As this is was not hard braking/emergency kind of braking there were no issues.

I think this kind of mistake would be common for all.