Tag: Weekly Safety Message 37

It Won’t Happen to Me Safety Talk

There are many excuses someone will give for not working safely. Some common excuses include: I didn’t know, I didn’t have time, I lost my PPE, nothing will happen, etc. One of the worst excuses to have for not working safely is an “it won’t happen to me” mindset. This excuse communicates a mindset that is set on not completing a task safely or shows a person is relying on luck to keep safe while on the job.

Experience and Attitude Towards Workplace Safety

There is no substitute for experience. Experience, for the most part, allows us to work more efficiently and safely; however, this is not always the case. Experience can also lead to complacency or a higher level of tolerance for risk. When an employee has done the same task or has been in the same occupation for many years, they can have the “it won’t happen to me mindset.”

This doesn’t mean that newer employees cannot have the same mindset, but it is often very experienced employees who fall into this mindset trap. We have all heard stories of experienced workers or supervisors getting seriously injured from becoming complacent about known hazards. It is necessary to be mindful of your attitude toward safety on the job.

Why it is Necessary to Avoid This Mindset

Complacency can be hard to avoid; however, having the mindset that an incident or injury will not happen can put you at great risk of sustaining an injury. Believing you are not susceptible to the hazards of the job is a quick way to be injured. No one is able to avoid injury from the majority of hazards from just having experience alone. It takes action on top of that experience to ensure safeguards are in place and safe work practices are being followed to avoid injury. No matter how much experience you have, the necessary steps still need to be taken to prevent an incident from occurring.

Summary

Do not let experience on the job affect your attitude towards taking the correct steps to work safe. Hazards need to be controlled. They are only controlled when we as workers, take the time to implement the proper safeguards and follow safe work practices. Evaluate your attitude toward safety as well as what hazards or work tasks you may have become complacent towards.

It Won’t Happen to Me – Safety Talk Ideas

Continually Learning Safety Talk

Continual learning is critical for success in any area of our lives, whether that is as a parent, spouse, employee, leader, community member, etc. Having a growth mindset when it comes to work separates those who stay stagnant in their position at work and those who eventually land better opportunities for themselves. Continually learning and expanding your knowledge in regard to what you do at work will allow you to be a safer and more efficient worker.

On the other hand, having a fixed mindset when it comes to work will not only hold an individual back from better opportunities, but it can also lead to injuries on the job.

Having a Fixed Mindset at Work

Change is inevitable. Many workers have been in the same field for over 20, 30, or even 40 years, but think how different the same workplace was even just a decade ago. Workers who want to hold on to the old days and fight change at every single turn will eventually get left behind. Not only will your career suffer from not embracing change, but you can also be more at risk for injury.

With more emphasis on workplace safety, most companies have transitioned into using safer equipment and implementing safer work practices. When individuals do not embrace these changes, they are not only putting themselves at risk for injury but also everyone around them.

Continually Learning and Workplace Safety

Our workplaces are always evolving. With ever-improving technologies and new ways to complete work tasks, we are arguably progressing faster than ever. It is critical for workers to be able to receive and adjust to this new information and use it to be successful in their position. With any changes, even if it is something that makes a work task safer, it is necessary to understand what impact that it has on your job.

When processes, equipment, tools, etc., change for a work task, it is necessary to be able to identify what new hazards may be created and what needs to be done to mitigate them. Being a worker who is able to foresee the issues that new changes bring and have solutions for those issues is critical to be successful as well as remaining safe on the job.

Summary

Embrace change as it comes into the workplace. Most change is made for the greater good of everyone involved. There are times when new changes can lead to unnecessary risk, but the majority of change does not unless workers do not take the proper actions to embrace it. Be a worker who is open to continually learning and avoid having a fixed mindset. Not only will this approach allow you to reach new opportunities, but it can also make the difference in avoiding an injury on the job.

Continually Learning

Communicating Issues Safety Talk

Effective communication is critical to every aspect of a successful job. Being able to work safely especially relies on effective communication between everyone involved in a work task or on a jobsite. Effective communication requires having honest conversations, which includes bringing up and discussing issues as they arise.

Examples of Scenarios When You Should Speak Up

There are an endless amount of possible scenarios of when you should speak up and have an honest conversation to address an issue. Below are some general examples of when you need to stop and communicate an issue to get it resolved prior to continuing on.

• When you see someone working unsafely.
• When you do not have the proper training or knowledge to do the task at hand.
• When you do not have the right tools or personnel to complete the task correctly.
• When a safeguard is not implemented.
• When a hazard is present that could injure you or others.

How to Go About Communicating Issues

• Take the time to have the conversations that need to be had to correct the situation.
• Involve the right personnel in discussions.
• If someone is working unsafe, stop and have a respectful conversation about it. If you do not feel comfortable approaching them, approach a supervisor.
• Follow-up conversations, if necessary, to ensure the situation was resolved and measures are being taken, so it does not occur again.
• If necessary, ensure that others outside the immediate work group are informed of the issue and/or the corrective actions of the situation that occurred. For example, an investigation report or lessons learned report may be necessary to inform others in the company, so a similar incident does not occur again.

Summary

One of the most difficult things to do on the job at times is to have honest conversations. These conversations can be uncomfortable. That being said, honest conversations about issues as they arise are critical to being able to work safely. Issues that result in individuals being at risk for injury are everyone’s problem, not just the worker who is put at risk of being injured.

Communicating Issues – Safety Talk Ideas

Distracted While Walking (Cellphone Use) Safety Talk

Everyone has seen the commercials and the billboards warning people of the dangers of texting while driving. What about the dangers of using a cellphone while walking? There are many videos online of individuals who are distracted while walking and end up injured. While some of these videos can be innocent and funny, the consequences of this unsafe act can be severe.

Distracted While Walking Injuries

Injuries caused by being distracted due to using a cellphone while walking has become so common that National Safety Council has actually added “distracted walking” as a category in their statistical report Injury Facts. This report tracks data on the leading causes of unintentional injuries and deaths.

Other researchers have been looking at the details of these injuries. Some of their findings include:

• 52% of distracted walking incidents involving cell phones happen at home
• 68% of those injured are women
• 54% are people ages 40 or younger

Recent injury statistics that show the total number of injuries due to distracted walking are hard to come by. One study conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that in 2011, a total of 1,152 people of all ages were treated in hospital emergency rooms in the U.S. for injuries sustained while walking and using a cell phone or other electronic device. As you can imagine, these numbers are probably higher now due to increased smartphone use.

Implications of Distracted Walking at Work

The list of possible issues distracted walking can create in the workplace is endless. A few basic examples of how using a cellphone while walking at work can lead to injuries include:

• Walking into fixed objects
• Being struck by moving vehicles or equipment
• Walking over an edge or into an open hole
• Tripping over an object
• Walking under a lifted load

Summary

Be mindful of your cellphone use both on and off the job. While research has shown the majority of injuries occur in the home due to distracted walking, the consequences of doing it at work can be much more severe. Work areas and the tasks occurring in them are constantly changing. The last thing you need to be doing is putting all of your focus on the screen of your cellphone.

Distracted While Walking