Safety: Playing to Your Strengths

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.