Risk Management Magazine

Unfortunately, a lot of folks don’t take the major hazards related to fireworks seriously. Some people enjoy igniting firecrackers or cherry bombs and holding them in their hand as long as possible before throwing them — sometimes at each other. People just don’t seem to understand what can happen with these unsafe practices.

In college, I worked as an intern for a mechanical contractor, installing HVAC and plumbing for large industrial projects. During the last of my four semester rotations at this company, I was assigned to work at a vehicle manufacturing plant that was being built in the area. There, I would learn a painful lesson on the importance of always wearing your personal protective equipment.

Since the invention of air bags, many people believe they no longer have to wear their seat belts. Relying on air bags alone and not using your seat belt is more dangerous than not having air bags at all. Air bags should be considered additional protection, not a replacement for safety belts.