Following Instructions…Common Sense or a Waste of Time? By Brandon Rasch, Vice President From the time we are very small, we're told to "follow directions." For a child, this is necessary to teach basic life skills, as well as critical thinking. However, as we grow and mature and learn to think for ourselves, most of us conclude that the importance of a ways following directions and following them to the letter is not a life or job requirement. Don't we all cut a few corners as we become more experienced and proficient at doing something? We all have decided that most directions are written to guide, instruct and protect the person with little or no skill at a task or job? I know what they want! I have done this before so it must be the same this time! This is the manner in which we have always done this! Sound familiar? The best way to view life is to remember there is a "threat component" present in everything we do. If we drive there always remains a threat. If we participate in sporting activities there always remains a threat. At work, every function that we perform has associated with that function a threat of failure. A threat is a situation, an activity or an event, which increases the complexity of the operation and poses a safety risk to personnel, customers or equipment or poses a risk that the result of our labor may not meet the standard expected by our customers. If managed properly the threat situation can be eliminated or at the very least reduced to an acceptable level. It is accurate to state that there is virtually nothing that we do that does not contain inherent risks and threats. Specific instructions and procedures are written to minimize threats. Job tickets are created to guide the manufacturing process. Proofs are furnished to ensure that our customers are satisfied with the preliminary work performed and that the final product will be made correctly. Remember everyone should attempt to follow procedures that are written to ensure that the same steps and processes are followed at all times. Following our written procedures, even for routine tasks, prevents errors from being made by ensuring we adhere to small, but critical, steps that could otherwise be forgotten. Following set procedures actually becomes a safeguard, or "control", assuring protection for you, your co-workers, our customers and our equipment and the products that we routinely manufacture Put another way, following set procedures becomes a safe habit. Safe habits have benefits at both work and at home. In the end, we all benefit from "following directions!"   About Rasch Graphics | More Information PUR Binding | Perfect Binding | Saddle Stitching | Mechanical Binding Tab Cutting | Support Services | The Finishing Touch Newsletter EMail RGS | Home Page 7211 N. Gessner Drive • Houston, TX 77040-3143 Phone: 800 / 713-785-5750 • Fax: 800 / 713-785-5801