USPS · Work Scenarios

You see a coworker doing something that violates safety procedures (e.g., reaching into machinery, not wearing required PPE, ignoring vehicle safety). What should you do?

  1. A Mind your own business
  2. B Speak up — alert the coworker to the safety issue and, if it continues or is serious, notify a supervisor; safety is a shared responsibility
  3. C Record them for proof
  4. D Wait for them to get hurt

Why this is the answer

Safety culture is heavily emphasized at USPS — workers compensation claims for injuries are a major operational issue, and the 474 screens for candidates who participate in a safety culture. The right approach: (1) raise it directly with the coworker — most safety issues are oversight, not defiance; (2) escalate to supervisor if it continues or is serious; (3) recognize that letting unsafe behavior continue endangers everyone including bystanders and customers. 'Mind your own business' fails because safety isn't personal business — it's collective. 'Waiting for them to get hurt' is the worst answer — it makes you complicit. 'Recording them for proof' is unhelpful and adversarial. The pattern: speak up + escalate appropriately + treat safety as shared responsibility.
Source: USPS VEA-MC, Safety Culture