Everyone is busy, especially during a holiday week when busy schedules become even more compacted. We had a very long winter, and everyone I know is more than ready for summer! It is tempting to take short cuts or skip steps in established procedures to save a few minutes. Let me tell you from experience that skipping a necessary safety step will not end up saving time!
It is common to hear people tell stories about laboratory incidents with rushing as the root cause. In the second after an incident due to rushing happens, people realize they should not have taken the short cut. The importance of following established procedures, including safety procedures, is discussed on a regular basis. Training sessions and discussions at meetings drive home the point that EHS compliance keeps everyone safe and reduces the risk of incidents.
While you are trying to finish all the tasks on your to do list this week in an effort to get to the Fourth of July barbeque on time, remember to follow established procedures. Trying to save a minute or two will ultimately cost you more time, and hopefully nothing more than time.