I've been called a pioneer and after a 45-year career and the honor of receiving the Prix Antoine-Aumont, I'm beginning to believe that I've brought a new vision to risk prevention in Quebec. This conviction emerge from a retrospective reflection on my career, forged by traveling to over 50 countries, where I have shared my expertise with hundreds of organizations and thousands of leaders, supervisors, occupational health and safety resources, and workers. Faced with numerous challenges and issues, I have developed a global approach that allows me to support organizations in integrating prevention into their operations and developing the leadership of all stakeholders in a company.
At the heart of this approach, I believe there are several key factors for better risk management, but if I have to highlight my best and most valuable advice for making the workplace safer, it would be the responsibility of everyone to identify hazards.
In my opinion, recognizing work-related hazards is the cornerstone of prevention. This aspect may seem obvious at first glance, but it is too often overlooked in daily life, sometimes leading to tragic consequences. Equipment use and work at heights, among other things, represent potential sources of dangers that can cause serious, even fatal accidents.
However, how can this idea be translated into concrete actions beyond the protection programs established by organizations? In my opinion, this involves two distinct aspects. Hazard recognition programs are certainly useful, but they must be constantly reassessed and maintained. Simply recognizing hazards by a worker is not enough to eliminate the risk of accidents, as routine, lack of vigilance, or even shortcomings in teamwork can lead to tragic events.
It is alarming to note that, despite progress, approximately 2.8 million people still die from work-related accidents or professionals illnesses worldwide. Based on my experience and numerous interventions worldwide, I am convinced that many of these accidents could have been avoided through better identification and recognition of hazards, as well as more rigorous application of preventive measures by personnel involved in task execution.
In conclusion, I am convinced that recognizing workplace hazards is not only crucial for risk prevention but also the key to ensuring the safety and well-being of workers while promoting productivity and prosperity for organizations.
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