The Paper Guy’s Take on Safety

I recently found myself at client, waiting on the next delegate whom I was to interview to do my Behavioural Safety Diagnostic. These conversations help me gain an understanding of the organisation’s, Safety Culture and what the drivers of said Culture is. This then explains the experienced behaviours we see on the ground and enables me to help my clients best.

As I am having another sip of my water, in walks Robin. My initial thought was, ‘I wonder what it’s like to have a unisex name and if, Robin was ever mocked about it at school’. I think this, because we had a Corne, when I was at school and he was terribly ridiculed for having what the bullies called a ‘girls’ name…Corne was my friend, and those experiences were…well you can imagine.

Sorry I’m digressing…

So, back to Robin, who introduces himself and tells me that he is the company mail man slash photo copier slash filing assistant…basically ‘I’m The Paper Guy’ he says.  I watch Robin as he takes a seat, slowly, as if he has all the time in the world. I’m a bit concerned as to why ‘The Paper Guy’ was send to me in the first place as he does not work in the department which was asked to be sampled.

Robin in turn looks at me, concern filling his face, and I realise, or I think I do, no-one informed him what the reason was for speaking to me and that he is now probably already questioning my motives. But I was wrong…way wrong.

Instead Robin asks, politely, yet firmly so; ‘Carmin, please don’t sit at the edge of your chair so much. If you bend forward the chair might pull out from under you and you could injure yourself’.

I smile and thank him for his concern, then abide and move back into my seat. He asks me why would I do such a dangerous thing in the first place, to which I , now very aware of my unsafe act answer; ‘The chairs are incredibly heavy (truly there were) and I struggled to move it closer to the table, hence me positioning myself on the edge of the seat’.

Robin takes a moment to digest this, he then answers; ‘You should have done a HIRA before putting yourself in harms way like that’.  Fascinated by his enthusiasm I ask; ‘Robin, how do you know about HIRA when your work does not require you to do a Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment?’

Robin looks at me, as if I slapped him…he then answers, proudly so; ‘Carmin, Safety, is EVERYONE’S responsibility. You have to be safe…ALWAYS.’

Robin then continues to take me through an array of examples of how he is confronted with unsafe conditions every day, and no, a ‘papercut’ is not it for those of you who went down that route…instead Robin shares with great excitement how he takes safety to the next level, at home as well.

Robin told me that he never drops empty tins in the dustbin. ‘What if a stray dog gets hold of the garbage and he chews on it, it will SLICE (with accompanying hand movements) his jaw open and then? Who will help the poor stray dog…he will bleed to death!!!’ (Robin already decided it would be a male dog ? It was personal for him.)

I listened to him sharing the Importance of Safety, the Unsafe Acts that he sees taking place at work, the Negative Mindsets staff are harbouring towards safety…’It’s wrong Carmin’ he says.

I am so mesmerised by his honest passion for Safety, and I revelled in what I believe was an accidental find, a like-minded Safety Warrior, as such.

I ask, Robin…(with all the kindness and love in my heart)…’Robin, if this is how you think, speak, feel and do safety, haven’t you thought about pursuing a career in Safety?’

A sudden cloud appears across Robin’s face, I realised I hit a nerve…

Robin pulls into himself, and then softly answers, ‘I can’t Carmin…I mean, who would take me seriously, I’m JUST The Paper Guy’.

I was heartbroken for him, that statement took me back to the days behind the School Hall where my friend Corne and I hid from his bullies. I wonder, is Robin being bullied too?

‘I take you seriously.’ I clumsily muttered…’You see Robin, people think that change is one massive lightning bolt that strikes in that one place at that one specific time…but change…true change…happens in small individual shifts…and if you can share with people how to make those small individual shifts within safety…one by one…everyone will take you seriously.’

Before Robin could answer there’s a knock on the door. My next delegate is waiting to be interviewed. Robin smiles, gets up to leave and reminds me of not sitting on the edge of the chair. As Robin is about to exit, I ask, if he would be comfortable if I mentioned this conversation and his love for Safety to my contact, the, Safety Manager?

‘Would you…really?’ Robin asks. I nod, smile and off Robin goes. In walks my next delegate and the interview starts. Robin’s excitement still lingering in the air.

Five interviews later and my day is done. I meet with my contact, the, Safety Manager, and give him an overview of how the interviews went. I take my time and then tell him about my experience with ‘The Paper Guy’.

The Safety Manager is clearly surprised and says he didn’t know Robin was so passionate. ‘He is a bit shy’ I answer, (Robin’s I’m JUST The Paper Guy statement still stuck in my mind.) Luckily my contact is a wonderfully graceful man and assures me Robin is in good hands. I commit to follow up, and trues bob, Robin’s journey started…and as Robin told me last week, ‘Carmin, thanks to you, I’ll be moving from Robin The Paper Guy to Robin the SHE Representative.’ I had nothing to do with it, Robin, I answer…it was all you! Grateful to have made a friend in Safety …if only more of us had The Paper Guy’s Take on Safety…