If you were to read accident investigation reports submitted by supervisors, you would likely be amazed at just how often the cause of accident is listed as “the injured employee was not watching what he was doing,” or “the injured employee was not concentrating on the task,” or some manner of describing inattention. The reality is that inattention probably is at least one of the contributing factors (if not the primary factor) in most work-related injuries.
The problem lies in what to do about it. For accidents that result because a machine was not properly guarded, corrective action is simple – properly guard the machine. For accidents that result because personal protective equipment was not worn, corrective action is simple – enforce the use of personal protective equipment more aggressively. For accidents that result from a lack of training, corrective action is simple – conduct effective safety training. But what about inattention; what corrective action can an employer or supervisor take to improve attentiveness among employees? And, what can you do to help prevent your own inattentiveness from leading to a workplace injury.
Inattention is sometimes brought about by performing more tasks than are reasonably safe to do simultaneously. In our culture, this is commonly referred to as multi-tasking. In fact, being a multi-tasker is generally viewed favorably. But when too many responsibilities are placed on you, something will suffer, and if that something is your complete attention to the task you are performing, the result could be tragic.
Our state of mind has a lot to do with our attentiveness. When we are irritated or frustrated we are less inclined to be focused on the task at hand or aware of the dangers around us. So, the best way to protect yourself is to view irritation and frustration as warning signs. Some people already do this type of thing. If they’re working on a project and nothing seems to be going right, they will realize that they’re getting frustrated and will stop, walk away from the task for a minute, and then return to the task, often with a more reasoned approach to solve the problem.
Our state of alertness also influences our ability to focus. When we are tired, we are simply less attentive to our work and what is going on around us, compared to when we are fully-rested. For your own personal safety give-up watching the late-night TV shows and get a better night’s rest. Don’t eat heavy lunches that often result in mid-afternoon sleepiness, and give your personal health and wellness high priority.
Lastly, complacency can also be at the root of inattention. For those of us who have been performing the same work for years, it is easy to become so accustomed to the routine that we fail to be alert to the dangers associated with that work. One of the best ways to avoid becoming complacent to dangers on the jobsite is to get involved in promoting hazard awareness to your fellow employees, whether informally or by volunteering to present some of the toolbox safety talks.
Discuss with Your Crew
- Can you think of an example when you are trying to be productive by multi-tasking and may increase your risk of injury (or contribute to the injury of a coworker)?
- Can you think of a time when you were complacent about a routine task and were injured (or nearly injured) because of that complacency?
- Who would be willing to deliver a safety toolbox topic occasionally to help guard against complacency?