We all know how very important safety is.  Safety in the workplace, safety at home and safety as a Nation.

Most of us are familiar with risk assessment, risk matrices, and the importance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  It has become second nature for most to do a thorough risk assessment prior to undertaking any activity.

Here in the US it seems to me that safety is being taken to new heights.

I was in a bar last Sunday (Business meeting, thus I was in a ‘workplace’), with two associates, one of whom brought his three year old son.  We sat on stools around a bar height table, surrounded by screens showing football matches.  (They take football more seriously than religion here, and that, in contrast to Australia, is saying something.  There is no hint of performance enhancing drugs, and barely a scintilla of machismo.   Women are embraced.  Here, too, safety is paramount.  I digress.)

The son had his PPE in the form of a dragon cape – to ward off any slurs from nearby drinkers – psychological damage caused by workplace teasing is a recognised safety issue here.  More importantly he had a helmet on, to protect in case of falls from the stool.  In due course, after eating his hot dog (we had wings with blue cheese dipping sauce) and leaving his broccoli (like any man in a bar) he went sound asleep with his chin on the table.   A fall was a strong possibility; I was comforted by the thoroughness of the risk assessment.

On passing the Barmaid queried, “Too much drink?”

Yours in safety,
Cheers
Cecil Poole