The conversation around operating unsafe equipment really ticks me off! I hear concerns, complaints and beefs about equipment not being repaired, fixed or replaced and of course, "the Supervisor told me to operate it anyway!".

I would hope if your car did not have brakes, your horn did not work, an extension cord was cracked or your 2 year old was not wearing a life jacket in the boat, you would have the mind set to make ONLY 1 decision. If the situation could not be corrected immediately, you would not operate or perform the task. So, why would you put yourself or anyone else in harms way and do it at work?

Heaven forbid a fatality or serious accident occurs and you end up in front of a judge and through the investigation process it was found you were aware of the unsafe equipment because the only person to blame would be you! What a conversation it would be telling your spouse and family you, consciously, made that decision to work unsafe.

How or what do you think a supervisor or anyone else would say or do if they were confronted and faced with a jail sentence or a hefty fine? They would deny, deny and deny! I challenge management, across the Division, to respond to me if you want to tell a worker to operate unsafe equipment. If upper management does not think this happens - Wake Up! You have supervisors who give that direction.

In life, there are reactions to our actions and I would hope the reaction to tagging out unsafe equipment would be a positive one! For the sake of your future and your family's, forget the shortcuts, the Bonus and "Tag Out" unsafe equipment!

cl/cope 342