Wide awake in Every Day Life, Chapter 3, Part 1

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Chapter 3, Part 1
From specialist presentations to the first specialist book of its kind
Right from the start, the work needed to be made public.
Not to attract attention for its own sake.
But so that people could understand what it was all about.
So that knowledge could be passed on.
And so that change could happen.
Prevention only works if it reaches those who bear responsibility:
Business owners.
Schedulers.
Occupational safety specialists.
Drivers.
Trade associations.
Occupational accident insurance associations.
Manufacturers.
And political decision-makers.
It was precisely at this point that a new chapter began.
The network evolved into specialist outreach.
And this outreach later gave rise to the first specialist book of its kind.
A key driving force behind this development was the collaboration with the Trade and Goods Logistics Employers’ Liability Insurance Association.
As part of this, I give presentations on prevention at transport and retail companies.
Often with an exhibit that leaves no one unmoved:
a completely destroyed driver’s cab following a fatal rear-end collision.
This is not theory.
Anyone who sees a cab like this immediately understands what is at stake.
The confined space of the driver’s cab.
The force of the impact.
The reality of a serious rear-end collision at the end of a traffic jam.
What was previously abstract suddenly becomes concrete.
That is precisely where the power of these talks lies.
They do not seek to shock for shock’s sake.
They aim to make clear what is at stake.
Not tomorrow.
Not at some point in the future.
But every single day.
When people see the consequences of such an accident so vividly before their eyes, a different understanding emerges. Then instruction turns into insight. Detachment turns into concern. And concern can turn into responsibility.
A report on a training session at Edeka Südwest described this effect very well. There, the crushed driver’s cab was used as a prevention aid. Just looking at it makes it clear: a person has virtually no chance of survival in a driver’s cab like that.
That is precisely the message:
to act as a deterrent, so that no one has to die.
The role of the employers’ liability insurance association was always important in this regard.
It did not merely report on the work being done.
It also helped to reach out to companies.
In this way, what began as a concern for the association became a concrete prevention programme for workplace practice.
And that is precisely what made the difference.
Drivers, business owners and health and safety managers were not simply addressed in passing. They were reached directly in their day-to-day working lives.
From the outset, the strength of these presentations lay in the fact that they were not moralising lectures.
They were technically sound.
Powerful.
Practical.
And grounded in reality.
Business owners and health and safety managers were not presented with abstract regulatory knowledge. They saw the reality of a system that, in everyday life, often creates more hazards than it cares to admit.
Drivers recognised themselves in the topics covered:
in routines,
in pressures,
in temptations,
and in moments when attention can slip.
Managers had to grapple with a different question:
To what extent do time pressure, processing logic, communication and corporate culture contribute to safe or unsafe behaviour?
It was precisely this that made these presentations more than mere information sessions.
They became places where experiences were gathered.
Places where new conversations emerged.
Places where feedback gave rise to new questions.
And over time, these questions gave rise to greater technical insight.
Added to this was regular participation in prevention and specialist conferences, including those attended by senior occupational safety professionals.
It is precisely where safety is organised professionally that a close examination is particularly important.
Many hazards in freight transport are well known.
But in day-to-day practice, they are often downplayed.
Or broken down into isolated issues.
Yet these matters are interconnected:
the danger at the end of a traffic jam,
the role of distraction and fatigue,
the importance of infrastructure,
responsibility at loading bays,
and the question of how technical systems actually perform in an emergency.
All of this must be brought back into focus time and again.
Over time, this led not only to greater reach.
It also led to recognition.
The idea was no longer perceived as merely a regional one.
It was also recognised nationally as a serious contribution to road safety work.
Its integration into a broader context also played a part in this.
The links with the German Road Safety Council and the German Pact for Road Safety made it clear: this work was no longer a marginal issue. It had gained professional credibility.

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Chapter 3, Part 1 From specialist presentations to the first specialist book of its kind Right from the start, the work needed to be made public. Not to attract attention for its own sake. But so that people could understand what it was all about. So that knowledge could be passed on. And so that change could happen. Prevention only works if it reaches those who bear responsibility: Business owners. Schedulers. Occupational safety specialists. Drivers. Trade associations. Occupational accident insurance associations. Manufacturers. And political decision-makers. It was precisely at this point that a new chapter began. The network evolved into specialist outreach. And this outreach later gave rise to the first specialist book of its kind. A key driving force behind this development was the collaboration with the Trade and Goods Logistics Employers’ Liability Insurance Association. As part of this, I give presentations on prevention at transport and retail companies. Often with an exhibit that leaves no one unmoved: a completely destroyed driver’s cab following a fatal rear-end collision. This is not theory. Anyone who sees a cab like this immediately understands what is at stake. The confined space of the driver’s cab. The force of the impact. The reality of a serious rear-end collision at the end of a traffic jam. What was previously abstract suddenly becomes concrete. That is precisely where the power of these talks lies. They do not seek to shock for shock’s sake. They aim to make clear what is at stake. Not tomorrow. Not at some point in the future. But every single day. When people see the consequences of such an accident so vividly before their eyes, a different understanding emerges. Then instruction turns into insight. Detachment turns into concern. And concern can turn into responsibility. A report on a training session at Edeka Südwest described this effect very well. There, the crushed driver’s cab was used as a prevention aid. Just looking at it makes it clear: a person has virtually no chance of survival in a driver’s cab like that. That is precisely the message: to act as a deterrent, so that no one has to die. The role of the employers’ liability insurance association was always important in this regard. It did not merely report on the work being done. It also helped to reach out to companies. In this way, what began as a concern for the association became a concrete prevention programme for workplace practice. And that is precisely what made the difference. Drivers, business owners and health and safety managers were not simply addressed in passing. They were reached directly in their day-to-day working lives. From the outset, the strength of these presentations lay in the fact that they were not moralising lectures. They were technically sound. Powerful. Practical. And grounded in reality. Business owners and health and safety managers were not presented with abstract regulatory knowledge. They saw the reality of a system that, in everyday life, often creates more hazards than it cares to admit. Drivers recognised themselves in the topics covered: in routines, in pressures, in temptations, and in moments when attention can slip. Managers had to grapple with a different question: To what extent do time pressure, processing logic, communication and corporate culture contribute to safe or unsafe behaviour? It was precisely this that made these presentations more than mere information sessions. They became places where experiences were gathered. Places where new conversations emerged. Places where feedback gave rise to new questions. And over time, these questions gave rise to greater technical insight. Added to this was regular participation in prevention and specialist conferences, including those attended by senior occupational safety professionals. It is precisely where safety is organised professionally that a close examination is particularly important. Many hazards in freight transport are well known. But in day-to-day practice, they are often downplayed. Or broken down into isolated issues. Yet these matters are interconnected: the danger at the end of a traffic jam, the role of distraction and fatigue, the importance of infrastructure, responsibility at loading bays, and the question of how technical systems actually perform in an emergency. All of this must be brought back into focus time and again. Over time, this led not only to greater reach. It also led to recognition. The idea was no longer perceived as merely a regional one. It was also recognised nationally as a serious contribution to road safety work. Its integration into a broader context also played a part in this. The links with the German Road Safety Council and the German Pact for Road Safety made it clear: this work was no longer a marginal issue. It had gained professional credibility.

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