Take A Tip From The Animals

February 12, 2013 No Comments

Why is it that wild animals rarely have accidents?  When was the last time you saw a deer, bird, or a squirrel limping around on an injured leg?  Animals don’t have accidents because they are ever vigilant and constantly on alert for danger.

Wouldn’t it be great if our employees were ever mindful of their immediate surroundings and always watching for danger – like animals are!  I believe we could all take a tip from the animals when it comes to safety – strive to be constantly vigilant at work.

A few years ago I read a New York Times Best Seller book called “The Power Of Now” by Eckhart Tolle.  This book is about discovering the joy of a life by living in the moment (the now).  It’s theme is about being intensely alert to ones’ current surroundings and environment.  Being a safety person, I recognized that this book’s philosophy has a direct application to the field of occupational safety!

I’ve investigated many serious industrial accidents.  In most cases, the accidents were caused by a number of factors that came together at a critical moment in time.  Often, a key factor was that the injured employee was not paying full attention to the task at hand (i.e. carelessness).

I’ll bet that many of you know at least one person who’s shot themselves with a pneumatic nail gun because they were not paying full attention to the job.

Why even the simple act of walking can be hazardous if one is not paying attention.  I’ve reviewed the following walking accidents that would have never happened if the pedestrian had simply watched where they were going:

• walking into the path of a fork truck
• tripping on a hose or cord
• stepping on a wooden board with nails sticking out of it
• stepping into a tiny puddle of oil and slipping
• stumbling over a crack in floor
• walking under a suspended load
• stepping off a loading dock
• bumping into a sharp piece of metal that was protruding into the walkway
• walking face first into the raised forks of a parked fork truck

The following are a few of the things that can distract an employee, resulting in their inattention to their job or environment:

• boredom leading to working on auto-pilot and daydreaming
• talking or texting
• fatigue
• lack of sleep
• thinking about personal problems or activities outside of work
• alcohol
• tobacco products
• prescription and illegal drugs
• mental or physical illness

What can we do as safety professionals and risk managers to insure that our employees live in “the now” and keep their focus on the task at hand?  The answer to this question is complex.  It involves the application of the disciplines of psychology, behavioral science and human relations to the organization’s culture and to the employee’s behavior.

In order to achieve an optimal workplace safety and health program, we must address not only workplace hazards (e.g. OSHA compliance); but also the organization’s culture, and the employee’s attitudes and behavior.  From the very beginning, SafetyAwakenings.com has published articles on all three of these areas, and we will continue to do so in the future .

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