My (Late) Grown-Up Christmas List

I've been planning this blog post for about a month now, but (of course) couldn't get to it until today. One of my favorite Christmas songs is Amy Grant's rendition of "My Grown-Up Christmas List." (Ignore the fire safety issues in the video if you watch it.) It seemed especially poignant this year, so I decided to make my own list of things I am hoping will occur in the future.

I re-wrote the song to fit my wishes. Yay for creative license! Sort of an open letter to the OSHA and NIOSH Santa or other wish-granting djinn. Since it's by the Industrious Hygienist, there's a slight element of sarcasm mixed with my true wish for all workers to come home safely to their families.

"Grown-Up Christmas List"

Do you remember me 
I worked for you, you see 
I wrote to you on disability


Well I'm all healed-up now 
But still need help somehow 
I'm unemployed
But still so full of dreams


So here's my working wish
My grown-up Christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need


[Chorus:]
No more lives thrown away
That workers have a say
And speak up for their rights
Everyone would be well-trained
And want to do their best
And keep each other safe
This is my grown-up Christmas list


As children we believed
That parents would come home
To happy families
Without injury


Insurance surely sees
That claims and penalties
Can never heal a hurting human soul


[Chorus]


What are these concepts called
Prevention and respect
Maybe if we work together now
We’ll learn who we should protect

[Chorus]


So that's it...my wishes. Education, training, respect, and proactive approaches to health and safety for every worker. By the way, rhyming with safety terms is surprisingly difficult.

Look for the annual Industrious Hygienist end-of-year cartoon tomorrow!