12/08/2025
’Twas the Night Before Safety
’Twas the night before Christmas, and throughout every site,
Not a hazard was lurking, not even a tripping hazard in sight.
The PPE hung in the lockers with care,
In hopes that St. Safety soon would be there.
The workers were nestled, all finished their shifts,
While visions of zero-harm danced in the lifts.
And supervisors with checklists, and I with my map,
Had just wrapped up inspections and closed Safety Gap.
When out in the shop there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.
To the hallway I walked, not running—of course—
Because rushing is risky and leads to remorse.
The moon on the spill kit set out by the door
Gave a glow to the signage on the clean warehouse floor.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a forklift shut down, with its operator near.
With a hi-vis vest glowing, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he wasn’t St. Nick.
More rapid than training his toolbox talks came,
As he radioed each worker and called them by name:
“Now Hardhat! now Gloves! now Goggles and Hearing!
On Safety Boots! on Lockout! on Hazard Engineering!
To the muster point now, let’s keep things upright—
Report near misses, keep pathways in sight!”
As hazards that before strong controls must comply,
Engineering lifts risk levels low, nearly sky-high.
So back to the checklist the workers all flew,
With a binder of policies and documentation too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard at the gate
The shuffling of boots that were CSA-rate.
As I looked up from forms and was turning around,
Safety Saint Nicholas came in with a bound.
He was dressed in full PPE, from hardhat to toe,
And his vest was reflective, all shining aglow.
A binder of protocols hung on his back,
And he looked like a leader prepared to unpack.
His eyes—they were focused! His posture was steady!
His audits were thorough, his JHAs ready!
His gloves were well-fitted, his boots laced up tight—
This champion of Safety was a wonderful sight.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to the board,
Updated the stats and reviewed every record;
Then turning around with a nod and a grin,
He posted: “Remember—Safety starts from within!”
He sprang to the exit, to his team gave a call,
And away they all walked, no shortcuts at all.
But I heard him exclaim, as he passed out of sight—
“Merry Safety to all, and to all a safe night!”
