Editor's note: This Editor's Blog was initially published on March 13, 2019.
I like to think of myself as the kind of person who learns certain things through actual hands-on experience. I typically make some mistakes, the memory of which prevents me from repeating those errors. But there are times in which all I need to remember a lesson is a picture or video of someone else in the line of fire and making an egregious mistake.
Just recently in the news, there was a story of a woman visiting the Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park, AZ. According to published reports, she was passing by the jaguar enclosure and saw there was a black jaguar up against the fence. To get some photos on her cell phone she crossed the barrier, a huge zoo no-no, to take pictures. Within moments, one of the jaguars clawed at her, severely wounding her arm. She spoke about the incident on the CBS Evening News.
That’s all I needed to see in order for me to guarantee that I will never cross any barrier at any zoo for the rest of my life. And while I’m at the zoo, I will actively discourage anyone else from trying to do the same.
I’m hoping that you’ll have the same moment of clarity after watching this next video. It clearly shows workers who did not follow established safety procedures or protocols. It’s a bit scary to watch, but here’s a spoiler, the worker was not seriously injured.
Please follow your safety procedures. If you haven’t reviewed them with your crews in a while, please give them a refresher. Yes, the worker in the video is ok. But it easily could have had a disastrous result. When it comes to safety, don’t cut corners, don’t get complacent, and don’t get cocky. Take the time to make sure you, and everyone around you, are adhering to established measures. Make sure you get home to your families.