After the introduction round I explained our methodology to improve safety and behavior. ‘We will have 4 useful, educational and fun hours together. No powerpoint, not sitting on a chair, but actively working with activities that are a metaphor for work at the shop floor. Having fun and talk about what you have to learn and what concerns you in your work when it comes to safety’. The man with the baseball cap looked slightly at me from under his cap and slid a little in his chair. “But I’m not going to participate,” he said. “Fine for me, but to be honest: you don’t have to be here’, I replied. “Not for you, but my boss wants me to be here! If I’m not here, I’m not allowed to grind and weld tomorrow,” he said. “And I will not cause any trouble.”
With the rest of the group I started an activity in which stress, work pressure, safety, accountability and taking responsibility come to the fore. We also had fun and we laughed a lot. The participants, all tough, sturdy men, were impressed by the working method and were able to make connections with their daily work. Together we went to the construction site to see how safety can be improved in practice. And especially how this relates to their own behavior.
My ‘friend’ still kept aloof and during a break I spoke to him. “I have nothing against you,” he hastened to say. “I just think it’s all nonsense.” So I asked him what he was having such a hard time with. ‘Oh man, I live in the south of the Netherlands, had to drive hours to get here, I just got divorced, I have to take care of my 14-year-old daughter and I now had to leave her alone. And my daughter really is everything to me, and now I won’t be home when she comes home from school. And all because sometimes I don’t wear those annoying goggles. Because it fogs up, it’s hot, but my boss doesn’t care about that. We talked a little bit more about his hobbies, about his daughter, about his life and his work.
At the end of the conversation, I asked him if I could ask another question. He agreed. I told him, “You seem like a really good guy and a very sweet father to your daughter. What I really cannot understand is that someone who is so crazy about his daughter consciously takes the risk every day again to become blind and therefore never being able to see his daughter again. Just because you don’t want to wear those goggles.” I gave him a questioning look and he turned a little pale, nervous and quiet. For a moment I feared that I would get a blow from those huge arms. But nothing happened and a moment later he walked away.
Not much changed after the break. The baseball cap was still pulled deep over the eyes, I was occasionally looked at secretly and the group was actively talking to each other about how safety on the construction site could be improved and how they could get more courage to talk to someone who does not follow the safety rules. At the end of the session, the group left satisfied and thanked for the fun and educational morning.
The ‘baseball cap’ stayed in the room for a while. “I want to thank you,” he said, a little nervous. “I didn’t expect it, but I’m going to do something different starting tomorrow. I will always wear my safety goggles from now on.” He slapped me on the shoulder and walked out the door. I never saw him again, but sometimes I still think about him. Because he taught me something beautiful: every person has his own story. As long as we are open to that, life will be more beautiful. And safer…
