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219 quotes, page 7 of 8Safety, health and getting home in one piece
For the driver at the end of a long shift, the forklift operator and the carer on nights: rest, care and the minute that saves a life. Every job ends with going home.
We say who really said each one, and where the credit is uncertain we tell you. Every card is ours to share.
“In every chain of reasoning, the evidence of the last conclusion can be no greater than that of the weakest link of the chain.”
Thomas Reid, Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man (1786). The origin of the saying about the weakest link.
One unchecked strap can drop a whole load. Every link matters.
“Know thyself.”
Inscription at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi
Know your limits: how long you can drive, how much you can lift. Respect them.
“We rise by lifting others.”
Robert G. Ingersoll
Help the new starter learn the safe way. Everyone rises.
“Carelessness is the great enemy.”
Japanese proverb (Yudan taiteki)
Most accidents happen on the hundredth easy lift, not the first hard one. Treat the routine job with the same care.
“Add care to care.”
Japanese proverb (Nen ni wa nen o ireyo)
Checked the load is strapped? Check it once more before you pull out of the yard. The second look is the one that saves you.
“If you are prepared, you have no worries.”
Japanese proverb (Sonae areba urei nashi)
Waterproofs in the cab, a torch in the bag, the first aid kit stocked: prepared workers sleep better.
“Mend the barn after losing the cow.”
Korean proverb (So irko oeyanggan gochinda). Said of repairs made too late.
Report the loose handrail or the frayed cable today. Fixing it after someone is hurt is the barn after the cow.
“Distant water cannot put out a nearby fire.”
Chinese proverb (Yuan shui jiu bu liao jin huo), from the Han Feizi
Know where the nearest extinguisher, eyewash and first aider are on your first day. Help across the site is too far away in an emergency.
“The windy day is not the day for thatching.”
Irish proverb (Ni he la na gaoithe la na scolb)
High winds mean no ladders, no roof work and no loose sheets on the scaffold. Some jobs wait for the weather, and that is the right call.
“Caution is the mother of the china cabinet.”
German proverb (Vorsicht ist die Mutter der Porzellankiste)
Fragile loads, glass racks and tired backs all survive the same way: steady hands and no rushing.
“Overconfidence rarely does any good.”
German proverb (Uebermut tut selten gut)
The day you feel you can skip the harness because you have done it a thousand times is the day to put it on.
“Better to dam the stream than the river.”
Swedish proverb (Battre att stamma i backen an i an)
A small spill mopped up now never becomes a broken wrist later. Deal with hazards while they are small.
“Whoever reaches for the spruce falls into the juniper.”
Finnish proverb (Joka kuuseen kurkottaa, se katajaan kapsahtaa)
Overreaching from a ladder to save moving it is how falls happen. Climb down and shift it.
“Row slowly and you will get far.”
Estonian proverb (Tasa souad, kaugele jouad)
A van driver who keeps to the limit finishes the round, every day, for years. Steady wins the long haul.
“Steady does it.”
Welsh saying (Pwyll piau hi). Literally: it is care that owns it.
Lifting a resident, reversing a lorry, carrying hot trays: slow and steady keeps everyone in one piece.
“Better to prevent than to regret.”
Spanish proverb (Mas vale prevenir que lamentar)
Gloves, goggles and safety boots feel like a fuss until the day they save you. Wear them every time.
“Whoever wants to travel far takes care of his mount.”
French proverb (Qui veut voyager loin menage sa monture)
Take your breaks, drink water and stretch your back. Your body has to last a whole career, not one shift.
“God guards those who guard themselves.”
Polish proverb (Strzezonego Pan Bog strzeze)
Luck is not a safety plan. Lock off the machine, test the circuit, and then trust your work.
“If you do not fill the crack, you will build a wall.”
Swahili proverb (Usipoziba ufa utajenga ukuta)
A wobbly racking leg or a worn tyre is a small job now and a disaster later. Report it before it grows.
“One who goes slowly does not stumble.”
Swahili proverb (Mwenda pole hajikwai)
Wet floors, cluttered stairs and dark car parks all ask the same thing: slow down and watch your feet.
“Hasty work is a shame to the master.”
Bulgarian proverb (Barzata rabota, sram za maystora)
A rushed weld or a wall plastered in a hurry comes back to haunt you. Take the time to do it right.
“Slowly, slowly, one catches the monkey in the forest.”
Wolof proverb from Senegal (Ndank ndank mooy japp golo ci naay)
Rushing a tricky job rarely gets it done sooner. Patient, careful work gets there safely.
“Caution and chicken broth never hurt anyone.”
Portuguese proverb (Cautela e caldo de galinha nunca fizeram mal a ninguem)
An extra check of the hoist, a second pair of eyes on the reversing lorry: caution costs nothing and harms nobody.
“Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.”
The Bible, Ecclesiastes 10:9 (King James Version)
Even three thousand years ago, people knew that manual work carries risk. Respect the tools and the load, every time.
“The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.”
The Bible, Proverbs 14:15 (King James Version)
Do not assume the floor is dry or the circuit is dead because someone said so. Look for yourself.
“He is safe from danger who is on his guard even when safe.”
Publilius Syrus, Sententiae (Caret periculo qui etiam cum est tutus cavet)
The quiet hour at the end of the shift is when people drop their guard. Keep your eyes open until the doors are locked.
“Be wary then; best safety lies in fear.”
William Shakespeare, Hamlet (Act 1, Scene 3)
A little healthy respect for the bandsaw or the deep fat fryer keeps your fingers where they belong.
“The cautious seldom err.”
Confucius, Analects 4.23 (translated by James Legge)
Double-checking a medication chart or a delivery address may feel slow. It is why careful workers rarely have to explain mistakes.
“Ne'er cast a cloot till May be oot.”
Scottish proverb. Cloot: a piece of clothing. Do not shed your layers until May is over.
Outdoor workers know a sunny April morning can turn bitter by noon. Keep the warm layer in the bag.
“Safety first.”
English saying
Before speed, before targets, before getting home on time: if it is not safe, it does not get done.
Other sections
- Work and keeping going (559)
- Stoic calm (316)
- An open mind (366)
- Starting a business (299)
- For leaders (218)
- Working with people (214)
- Mindset and habits (339)
- Safety and health (219)
- Starting again (210)
- Pride in the job (185)
- True stories of people who started small