At age 90 I am a little slow in thanking the Veterans of Safety for honoring me with a plaque in recognition of my lifetime advocacy for design-based safety. As a member of the VOS fraternity for nearly 45 years, I have felt that it is and has been the meeting place for the most dedicated stewards of safety. I have been humbled many times by the blessing bestowed on me by the VOS. In 1969 VOS awarded me joint VOS and ASSE First Place recognition for a technical paper and then later twice again. It was an honor to present a lecture on an Introduction to Design-based Safety. Many thanks to those who traveled from far and near the day you presented the plaque.
With over 62 years as a specialist in engineering for safety, I stand in awe of the dramatic progress in safety. These life-saving changes are largely due to the the use of alternate safer design, appliances and methods.
VOS has always fulfilled my vision for safety.
I have a vision that by stopping accident occurrences, we stop the flow of unnecessary loss of red blood.
I have a vision that all work places can be made safe.
I have a vision that products, machines and systems will not b e judged by the number of people killed or injured but by the lives they save.
Thanks go to many Veterans of Safety who made a fraternity that is dedicated to making a safer world.
Fraternally yours,
David V. MacCollum