The MTV show Ridiculousness features videos of people behaving in incredibly stupid, usually clearly unsafe, ways. From “Foot Bombs” to “Injurgram” to “Human Glitches,” the “hysterical and absurd” — some unexpected, most deliberate — behavior seems unending. The show finds videos on the Internet and does not accept submissions. Apparently, they don’t want to encourage willful stupidity simply to get on television. It doesn’t really need to be encouraged anyway.
The obvious safety hazards ignored easily stand out when watching Ridiculousness. Do these people not see how unsafe what they’re doing is? Maybe they see it and just don’t care. Or, do they think they simply won’t get hurt? Maybe they’re just too lazy to take safety precautions.
Ignoring Safety in the Workplace
Turns out, ignoring safety is common in the workplace too.
According to Indramat Products, 80% of companies said they experienced workers violating safety regulations.
The Top Excuses for Not Wearing PPE certainly needs to be addressed. Fortunately, plenty of strategies exists for Overcoming Excuses for Not Wearing PPE.
However, many employees simply ignore safety regulations even after employers take every measure available to provide the best PPE possible and to educate about its necessity. The most common reasons for ignoring safety regulations are baffling.
- Getting the job done quickly is more important.
- Safety rules are ridiculously unnecessary.
- Just too lazy to put it on.
- Don’t like being told what to do.
- Don’t feel it’s needed for the job.
Sometimes this attitude is created by a company culture where safety isn’t a priority. Or, simply defiant workers. Either way, for some, only the most severe consequences — or at least the threat of them — motivates compliance. So, as good parents must do with naughty children, consistently following through is necessary.
- Verbal warnings.
- Written warnings.
- Termination.
- OSHA fines.
For whatever reason, some people are not motivated to follow safety regulations. Even the potential for serious injury and death fails to move them. Somehow, they just don’t connect their reality with fact.
4 million workplace injuries, most preventable, take place every year in the workplace.
Employees resistant to wearing PPE need ridiculous levels of threats and consistent follow-through of consequences. And companies serious about safety must stand ready to give it to them or suffer consequences too.
I was given a Direct order today To not wear my safety glasses in the wgb downtown Columbus because lady supervisor yelled and pointed in my face that sunglasses are not to be worn in this building. I told her they are safety glasses and she didnt want to hear about it.
They are of a light blue color and I wear them everywhere I go because my eyes are light sensitive and these safety glasses have stopped my headaches and sometimes migraines and also I have no rapid eye blinking anymore and I also dont have vertigo or dizziness anymore and I work for a company that brags about how safety conscious they are but she wouldn’t ha e anything to hear about it.
They are clearly safety glasses and I got them for free at the annual safety Congress expo that the BWC PUTS ON in Columbus every year.
This woman has seen me wearing these for at least a year and no problem but today she had a bad day and gave me a direct order for no sunglasses which is funny as hell cause she dosnt listen to me when I told her they were safety glasses. Yes they are tinted light blue but my eyes are light sensitive and they work.
What if anything can I do as an employee with the state to not get fired and have osha’s behind me for being safe and protecting my eyes so I can work safely even though she had a very bad day and said I can no longer wear my safety glasses ?
Thank you for your comment and question, David. It appears you’re in a difficult situation.
In my opinion, your best course of action is to provide documentation that shows your safety eyewear is ANSI Z87.1 compliant. OSHA uses the ANSI Z87.1 standard to ensure safety eyewear is safe. You could visit the brand/manufacturer’s website and print out a PDF spec sheet for the style you’re wearing.
Since you expressed issues with light sensitivity, you should also provide information about the benefits of the light blue lens color. Here’s a definition you could use:
Ultimately, your employer has the final say on what lens tints can be worn on the job. However, if you keep a level head and provide documentation to support your case, you may have a chance.