Positive influence makes working conditions safer Published Dec. 5, 2007 By Al Lederman 95th Air Base Wing Ground Safety EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Safety first! We hear it all the time. At some level, safety is built into everything we do. Every day we influence the people around us in a positive or negative way by our own actions. What you say and do or chose not to say or do will influence the outcome. Being around people who promote and practice safety creates a safer environment for everyone. Some people have the common belief no matter how safe you are, mishaps are the inevitable result of unchangeable circumstances. That belief is untrue because it fails to consider the "cause and effect." Mishaps do not occur without a cause, and few are the result of material failure or malfunction. Most are the result of human error and unsafe acts. People who are careless or don't feel they have time for safety create an unsafe work environment. For example, no matter how much training you give a new employee, if the experienced workers are not practicing safe work habits, eventually the new employee will follow their lead. Sloppy habits reflect sloppy operations and make a poor impression on other coworkers, supervisors and visitors. You can influence others by doing what is right and by recommending that others do the same. If someone asks your opinion about whether a safety precaution is necessary, be a proponent. You could be saving their life -- maybe yours too. Let's make the mission, not an unsafe condition.