The Miracles of Safer Lives…
From DuPont News, May 10, 2005 —
DuPont recently announced the 20 finalists for "The Miracles of Safer Lives" global employee essay invitation. This is one in a series of articles highlighting the essays of the finalists. The winner of the invitation will be announced on June 15th.
Annika Nitsche, a lab assistant for DuPont Performance Coatings in Wuppertal, Germany, said:
"When I first stepped into the "Werk 2" in Wuppertal, I was surprised to see many signs reminding me to use the handrail. When I began my apprenticeship, I heard even more safety instructions that I needed to learn.
Eventually, using the hand rail and wearing personal protective equipment, like protective glasses and safety footwear, soon became more and more of a habit. Now, my first activities after starting my computer in the morning are changing my shoes and putting on my lab coat and protective glasses.
As time has passed, I am more conscious of how I had been previously unaware of the importance of safety. I had never considered checking out escape routes or the locations of the nearest fire extinguishers. Now, I always check out the given situation immediately when entering a new building. During a vacation in Crete, this new habit was my fortune.
One night we had a fire alarm and since I had checked the escape route from my hotel room, my friends, my neighbors, and I could escape via the fire ladder without panic. Luckily, it was just a false alarm. But unlike the other hotel guests, I did not panic, nor did I have to run through the building to get outside. A year later, I was at the same hotel when they executed a fire drill. The only downfall was that the only participants were the employees and a couple of guests, including myself.
The DuPont safety culture and DuPont safety procedures have made me expect the unexpected. And being aware of life's dangers has made me act more carefully and responsibly."
