Hazard Recognition Toolbox Talk
It is the unfortunate truth that many workers are seriously injured each year and people still believe that accidents “just happen.” But accidents do not just happen!
What goes wrong? Usually, an error that is within the control of one or more people is at the bottom of things. Often, several contributing factors take place, at the same time, for an accident to occur. So, when we analyze accidents, we should focus on which aspects of a task were controlled and which were not. Assuming that workers have been properly trained, and all the proper materials and tools were available, what else can go wrong?
A lot! Accidents are most frequently due to haste and poor planning.
Don’t Take Safety Shortcuts
When workers get out on the job with a supervisor monitoring their output, they are expected to achieve production goals. If they feel their job is on the line, they may pay less attention to safety than to production, in order to look better in the eyes of the boss. This often means poor choices are made that put them and co-workers at risk. Many accidents happen in just this manner. And these incidents have a negative impact on production, because dealing with them requires valuable time and money.
Plan Ahead
It is an employee’s responsibility to work safely, and that means taking time to review what is to be done – and what could go wrong. All employees should make it a habit to check out the work area and assure the work can be done without mishaps. It helps to remember the 5 P’s: Prior, Planning, Prevents, and Poor Performance.
Identify Hazards
The following questions should be asked to help predict what could go wrong and how risks might be controlled:
- Are the necessary materials available to perform the work?
- Does everyone have the proper tools to perform the tasks at hand?
- Are there enough workers to handle the job? Have they all had effective safety training?
- Are environmental conditions, such as light, noise, and weather a factor?
- Are there too many people in the area to work safely?
- Have others on the job/in the work area been notified about the hazardous tasks or conditions?
Don’t wait for accidents to occur – think and plan ahead!
Anticipate, Evaluate and Control Hazards!
