Insanity is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again-Let’s Change That! – 8/18/25

Safety E-Quick Tip

OWYN Safety Mangement Platform

Insanity is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again—Let’s Change That!

As someone who has spent over 30 years in the safety industry, I’ve witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of accidents that could have been easily prevented. I’ve seen families torn apart, businesses closed, and friendships destroyed—all because employees and employers didn’t work together.

I’ve been on the front lines, observing the aftermath of fatalities and serious injuries. I’ve watched a man’s shirt get ripped off in a split second, yanked back into a machine, causing serious damage to his arm and shoulder. Thankfully, that was as far as it went.

I’ve heard every excuse in the book from employers about why they can’t implement effective safety programs: “It costs too much,” “It slows down production,” “Employees don’t listen,” and my favorite, “We’ve never had a serious accident.”

And then there are the excuses from employees: “I’ve been doing it this way for years and have never been seriously hurt,” “I don’t need to be told how to work safely; I know what I’m doing,” and my favorite, “Fall protection is more of a hazard than it’s worth.” This coming from a man with a cast on his leg who fell 20 feet from a roof.

What bothers me most is that looking back, I can only recall a few cases where accidents were caused by something that couldn’t have been foreseen. The rest could have been easily prevented if everyone involved had chosen to prioritize safety.

We can’t prevent all accidents; things do go wrong despite our best efforts. But we can prevent most of them by using common sense, our knowledge of how to prevent accidents, and implementing safety procedures.

Collaboration is essential. Safety is a shared responsibility, and it requires everyone to work together.

Remember the famous quote: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Let’s commit to trying something different. Together, we can make a difference.

Employee QuickTip

Just because you’ve done it this way for years without getting hurt doesn’t mean it’s safe; be open to change for a safer workplace.

Employer/Management QuickTip

If you think a safety program costs too much, wait until you see the cost of an accident.

Have you received your first Safety E-QuickTip and would like to check out some QuickTips from the past? Check out our Safety E-QuickTips Archive Page on our website.

If you know of someone or a company that might benefit from receiving Safety E-QuickTips, please take a moment to share this with them so they can sign-up today.

Stay Safe – You’ve Got This!

Your OWYN Safety Solution Team

Keith Dague, President