Above my desk hangs a picture of a woman born in 1869, Alice Hamilton, the mother of industrial hygiene and the ultimate safety professional. I recommend that every safety manager read her autobiography, "Exploring the Dangerous Trades," in which Hamilton details her investigative work in armament factories, mercury mines and lead smelters.
In her book, Hamilton recounts a much-needed lesson she learned from a friend: Harmony and peaceful relations with one's adversary are not, in themselves, of value unless they accompany a steady push for what one has been trying to achieve.