We aren’t a ‘safety first’ people
Let us not kid ourselves into believing we are actually in the safety first mindset when as parents, members of society or even voters, don’t even believe in it.
The recent fire at a federal government-sponsored hospital with a death toll of six people, and a subsequent fire right after, goes to show that we have a government that has not thought about nor maintained the ‘safety first’ culture in a long time.
On top of this, Friday saw the worst train accident in Malaysia, when a cargo train derailed. Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured.
However, it is merely the tip of the entire issue of safety culture not just among those in power, but also in business practices. The multiple instances of accidents during the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and the LRT Extension Project comes to mind, as well as the crane hook dropping contractor who somehow managed to abscond back to China.
Thus, are we truly a ‘safety first’ cultured people, here in Malaysia? I honestly doubt it.
From top to bottom, from government to families to even individuals, we really aren’t. Let’s start simple – do you wear seat belts in a car, even if it is to the mamak at the corner, or even to the 7-Eleven to buy a pack of cigarettes?
When it comes to children – safety seats or just sit on someone’s lap? Heck, do we adhere to the maximum number of passengers in a car? How about wearing a helmet and buckling it on a motorcycle?
When it comes to maintenance of vehicles, do we skip maintenance of cars and motorcycles by a few kilometres, or a week, or wait till the end of the month when we get paid because we have no cash till then?
Now let us zoom up a bit, do your companies take care of their compounds to ensure mosquitoes aren’t breeding? What about maintaining security cameras in parking lots to ensure safety of employees?
