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The National Safety Council has unveiled the Journey to Safety Excellence – a cycle of improvement that aims for a continual reduction of risk, with a goal of zero injuries.

Of the things I may be known for, gracefulness is not one of them. As a child I learned to clean and dress my own cuts and scrapes simply because they happened so frequently I didn’t want to bother my mother with them. A couple of my fingers are so crooked from being broken/sprained/jammed during my more athletic days that to look at them you’d think I was a wide receiver in the NFL.

The beginning of every New Year is a time for looking ahead. We consider what we want to accomplish and what we will do differently, both personally and professionally. As safety leaders, that activity takes on a special significance: Our “resolutions” help determine the quality of systems that protect people’s lives and livelihoods.

2012 was an interesting year to be a part of the National Safety Council. As NSC prepared for its 100th anniversary – uncovering old documents and objects to create a retrospective of the role the council has played in the safety movement – staffers and volunteers were provided with multiple opportunities to gain a new appreciation for the organization to which they dedicate so much time and effort.

What’s one of the lessons to glean from OSHA action against BP in recent years? According to assistant OSHA administrator Jordan Barab, it’s that “enforcement works.” But does it?

Serious injury and fatality (Sif) prevention has long been considered a matter of numbers. Reduce “smaller” events and you also will reduce more serious ones. As organizations became better at preventing injuries, no one was surprised when the rate of recordable injuries declined.

Recent comments from assistant OSHA administrator Jordan Barab indicate that he believes OSHA enforcement can lead to a safer workplace, despite a lack of supporting evidence. While many experts agree OSHA can have a positive effect on workplace safety, they disagree as to how large of a role the agency plays in doing so.