Playing Safe vs Being Safe
Be Safe vs. Playing Safe: The Action Hero Within Safety Culture
Have you seen those AI-generated action figures? They’re striking… bold colors, sharp details, a sense of strength and readiness. Everyone loves them. But why?
John Eldredge writes, "Deep in his heart, every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue.” Maybe that’s what resonates. Deep down, we want to live with purpose, courage, and clarity... not just look the part.
That same tension shows up in the safety world. A good friend of mine, Ilya Zolotarev, used to ask a deceptively simple question whenever we showed up as a Confined Space Rescue Team:
“Are we playing Rescue, or being Rescue?”
That question stuck with me. Because the same thing applies to safety. Too often, organizations dress the part: posters on the wall, PPE checks, compliance binders. Yet, underneath, they’re still “playing safe” instead of “being safe.”
So, when I partner with a company to help evaluate their safety program, I ask the same question:
Are you being safe, or just playing safe?
Here are four cultural patterns I’ve observed in that process:
The Culture of Custom - “We’ve always done it this way.”
The Culture of Conformity - “We have to do this to stay competitive.”
The Culture of Compliance- “We must adapt and evolve.”
The Culture of Commitment - “We’re not playing around.”
This series, Be Safe vs. Playing Safe, will explore these cultural shifts. You may already be there, or you may need a sounding board and help with navigation. Whatever the case... the question is simply... are you looking the part or truly living the part.