If you are unfamiliar with Trevor Kletz, to the PSM world he’s the equivalent of what Elvis was to Rock ‘n’ Roll…
“Many workers don’t see the need to follow all the rules or the permit-to-work procedures… Our job, they say, is to get stuck in and get the job done, not fill in forms. In time this macho approach becomes the local custom and practice… It’s easy to point the finger at the management and assume that a culture of cutting corners started at the top. It is worth remembering that the same culture can also originate at the bottom, driven by the desire to get the job done. The task of management is to know this and make sure it’s done properly.” –Trevor Kletz
How many times have you heard “I’m a refrigeration tech, not a secretary” in regards to PSM paperwork? We need to work harder to convince our technicians that doing things the PSM way *is* doing things the right way. If the PSM way takes a bit longer – so be it. It’s much more important that they get the job done SAFELY than that they get the job done in the smallest amount of time!
