Sir Isaac Newton’s First Law deals with inertia and tells us an object at rest will stay at rest; an object in motion will stay in motion. These statements remain true unless an outside/external force acts on the object. The virus that escaped China—the external force—to ravage the globe in 2020 put the health and safety community of the construction industry—the object—into what I’d call “increased velocity.”
While members of the construction industry’s safety arm weren’t at rest prior to COVID-19’s outbreak, I think we’ve stepped up our game. Many other editors in the trade, commercial and literary publication marketplaces have bemoaned how the pandemic has changed business dynamics in 2020, but, to be honest, I think we should view ourselves differently for it. For example, if you’re like me, you think more intentionally about health and safety in your personal and professional lives.
I’m putting self-awareness in the “positive” column for the year.
While I would never minimize the physical and mental health issues many people have had to deal with as reactions to the pandemic have made their way into our daily thoughts and activities, I want to move forward into 2021. Without negating anyone’s concerns, I posit it’s time for clear-thinking adults to take advantage of the New Year and all the resolution-power that comes with it to make positive choices for health, safety and prosperity combined. Let’s take the lessons we’ve learned from lessening the spread of an unknown and unpredictable virus, apply those lessons to whatever’s coming out of Andhra Pradesh next, and move forward with the benefit of better health and safety programs in place.
We have more to discuss in 2021 than fear of a virus that my 70-year-old father battled and survived, that a publishing friend with the co-morbidity of COPD battled and survived, and so on. I’m fortunate that none of my friends or neighbors who experienced COVID-19 firsthand perished. I include my gratitude in my prayers.
I also include forward-thinking in my supplications and encourage others to do the same. We cannot sit down and stay in place, paralyzed by fear. By turning into bodies at rest, we not only pack on the quarantine poundage from quarantine snacks, but we let the businesses that our employees and economy depend upon slide into failure. Healthy bodies that have nowhere to work and no hope for the future won’t remain healthy for long. Thus I encourage spreading hope for the New Year.
What’s your post-COVID plan for a healthy and hopeful season start-up in Spring 2021? What’s your plan to get your company—the object—in motion in the safest, healthiest operations for all of your workers?
I wish a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year to everyone!
Stay Safe,
Sandy Lender