When we talk about safety, we often focus on numbers: incident rates, LTIs, and fatalities – every number represents a person, a family, and multiple lives forever changed.In 2024, THE FEDERATED EMPLOYERS MUTUAL ASSURANCE COMPANY (FEM) had 6,000 workplace incidents reported. Around 60 were fatal, and many others resulted in permanent disabilities (the stories that are rarely told) – 99% of which were not covered by insurance.In episode 5 of Let’s Talk Safety, we share the story of Partington Mtatabikwa, a man who went to work one morning in 2010 and never came home the same. An explosion at work left him with severe burns and the loss of a hand and a leg. His recovery took twelve months in hospital and a lifetime of reinvention.Partington now works in HSE, using his experience to help others understand what’s truly at stake. He speaks honestly about how pressure, shortcuts, and missing a simple risk assessment led to an incident that changed everything.“I never thought it could happen to me,” he says. “But in one moment, everything changed.”When you share this episode with your team, you help bring safety back to what matters most: people. This episode gives teams a real example of how small decisions on the ground can change lives. By leading this discussion, you remind everyone that safety depends on awareness, accountability, and the choices made every day.Access supporting toolbox talks and resources by visiting: https://protekta.co.za/podcasts/

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