By definition...

Accident: An unexpected and undesirable event, especially one that results in damage or harm; an unforeseen incident.

Yesterday business unit managers were "invited" to a big pow-wow (conference call) to discuss the increasing number of accidents at work. Believe you me, I don't want anyone getting hurt at work, or anywhere else for that matter. That's the very first consideration. But I especially don't like it when employees get hurt on my watch. But there seems to be some unreasonable expectations - we're supposed to foresee and correct any potential for an accident. If I were omniscient I can guarantee I wouldn't be working for a living. How am I supposed to perform this superhuman feat?

The last three incidents at work have been in the category of Slip/Trip/Fall. Two employees tripped over each other while rushing to the time clock. An employee was trying to unstop a toilet and slipped on a wet floor. Two employees were going to their work stations and one tripped over the other employee's cane. In all three cases, the potential was there for an accident, but how do you stop these accidents before they happen?

By definition, an accident is unexpected, undesireable, or unforeseen. If you asked the people involved in the incidents described above, all of them would tell you they did not plan the accident; nor did they want it to happen. So how do we eliminate accidents? Because, yes, as the responsible person at our facility I'm being held accountable and responsible. It's a huge stressor and burden.

So when I go back to work Monday staff will do a walk-through and try with all our human might to see the potentials for accidents. But if we correct every single possibility for an accident, we might as well close the doors and go home. What to do? What to do?