SAFETY MATTERS
Addressing Safety
Strategies Across
Generations
AMT's Interview with Kimberly-Clark Professional
I
By Charles
Chandler
Charles
Chandler began
his aviation
career as a
junior mechanic
for American
Airlines and
retired after
27 years of
service. He has
a Master's of
Science degree
in adult and
occupational
education with
a major in
human resources
development.
8
n 1970, the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) and
the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) were created. Today, almost four decades after
the implementation of the OSHA Act, a safe
place to work is a requirement and an expectation. Yet, each year we still have an incredible
number of workplace injuries and deaths. The
numbers have been trending down but are
still unacceptable. What is not understood
is why worker fatalities are so high and why
workers continue to injure themselves?
In Workplace Safety, James T. Burnette
writes that several behavioral theories suggest
that workers "may not care about the consequences; they could misperceive the risks or
the consequences; or they might intentionally
November/December 2013
sabotage the safety policies and procedures."
Within any discussion of workplace safety, it's
important to consider the implications that
generational shifts are having on the number
and type of work-related injuries, as well as
attitudes, work practices, and performance.
Kimberly-Clark Professional safety
survey
In 2012, Kimberly-Clark Professional (KCP)
conducted a survey of safety professionals
to better understand the complicated issue
of workplace injuries. Of those surveyed, "82
percent of the safety professionals said they
Baby Boomers can transfer their job knowledge by
becoming mentors to Gen Y and helping to train
new-hires.
Photos courtesy of Kimberly-Clark Professional.
Aircraft Maintenance Technology • www.AviationPros.com • www.AMTSociety.org