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Safety: Playing to Your Strengths

June 25, 2015
For safety to work, it needs to make sense.

I am a journalist because I am good at writing. That’s not to sound narcissistic; it’s an honest observation.

Conversely, I am not a ballerina or an astronaut, as my childhood self envisioned, because I am klutzy and claustrophobic.

I’m playing to my strengths. It’s not a unique concept; it’s probably the first piece of advice college counselors offer when sending students down career paths.

That same sentiment that led me to a profession I love and at which I’ve had a degree of success, certainly is applicable to safety.

For safety to work, it needs to make sense.

It shouldn’t be some far-reaching idea that’s foreign to those expected to implement it; it needs to be a natural extension of workers’ – and the company’s – strengths.

Samsung has taken that concept to heart.

The tech-heavy company recently tested a prototype safety truck in Argentina.

The country, which has a lot of two-lane roads, has a high number of accidents caused by passing.

In comes the Samsung Safety Truck – an 18-wheeler with a wireless camera attached to the front and connected to a video wall of monitors on the back.

“This allows drivers to have a better view when deciding whether it is safe to overtake,” Samsung said, “and may reduce the risk of accidents caused by sudden braking or animals crossing the road.”

It’s a perfect example of a company using its strengths – technological innovation – to increase safety.

About the Author

Ginger Christ Blog | Associate Editor

Ginger Christ is an associate editor for EHS Today, a Penton publication.

She has covered business news for the past seven years, working at daily and weekly newspapers and magazines in Ohio, including the Dayton Business Journal and Crain’s Cleveland Business.

Most recently, she covered transportation and leadership for IndustryWeek, a sister publication to EHS Today.

She holds a bachelor of arts in English and in Film Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.

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