Tool Box Talk: Routine, The Risk of Routine Activity

“The Risk Of Routine Activity”

For some persons, safety only becomes an important consideration when they are doing a dangerous job or task.

They rationalize that safety procedures can be bypassed or ignored when the task is simple, small, routine and seemingly presents little risk of injury.

Unfortunately, this type of thinking is why many routine, and apparently safe tasks or jobs, end up resulting in the most serious of accidents.

When performing routine tasks some take shortcuts because “nothing bad” has ever happened!

Some of us reason that we are making the job easier and saving time by skipping safe procedures (that we think only add more time to the job).

Sooner or later though, the odds say we will get injured because of these shortcuts.

When performing routine tasks we continue to take shortcuts because “nothing bad” has ever happened.!!!

We reason that we are making the job easier and saving time by skipping safe procedures (that we think only add more time to the job).

Sooner or later though, the odds say we will get injured because of these shortcuts.

Safe work habits should not be limited to those projects or tasks that are the most difficult or dangerous.

Safe work habits must be part of your everyday work routine.

If safety is not incorporated into every job or task you do, it’s really only a matter of time before an accident occurs.

Think about the job you’re on now and the tasks you and other employees do each day.

Maybe the project is just starting, or nearly finished. Both situations clearly make for less risk than at other times during the project, or do they? Or maybe it’s the size of the project.

The so-called “smaller” projects present less safety risks, or do they?

In both cases, the answer is no. Safe work practices are required whether your project is just starting, or nearly finished. Safety is also important no matter the size of the project.

Smaller projects must not encourage you to take safety shortcuts.

Another temptation is, many times on smaller projects, often no one, including the supervisor, is around to see you.

It also doesn’t matter that you may have done a particular task a thousand times without incident.

If you’re not doing that task safely, it’s only a matter of time before an accident occurs and your number may be up.

We also need to recognize when what is considered routine becomes non-routine and greater risks are present.

Research has shown that where tasks are non-routine and workers can’t recognize that then there is a greater chance of an accident.

There are situations where workers have accidents because they considered the activity routine when it was actually non-routine.

The most common factors that made the job non-routine were non-standard conditions and infrequency.

Safety is an attitude – and that attitude should be positive with no exceptions.

Do the right thing the right way  and follow safety rules every day no matter the size or the stage of the project you are on.

And a bonus quote from: Bo Bennett

“Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can’t be done.”

Thanks for the share, TO!