WORKPLACE COLLABORATION
WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION: UNCONVENTIONAL SAFETY HAZARDS
By Dr. Shari Frisinger
hazardous objects, don’t stand on the top rung of the ladder. There are times you even challenge the age-old adage “but we’ve always done it this way,” or “that’s the way it’s been done in the past and it works, so why change it?” Fighting for the status quo and other mental mindsets can cause lapses in safety and contribute to rework, misunderstandings, incidents or even accidents. Think about it: our brains are not wired to attend consciously to more than one activity at a time. You cannot split your brain in half or in thirds or in quarters to actively and simultaneously perform tasks that require you to comprehend, process information, analyze, assess and/or make sound decisions. If you are not aware of what you are seeing, reading, doing or even thinking, your brain will not register it and you will not remember. Have you ever forgotten what you read shortly after you read it? Or not been sure where you left something (my glasses are top on my list — keys and glasses are common with my clients)? Could these actions be considered safety hazards?
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ou know about safety — it has been ingrained in all of us and, in case you forget, you can refer to posters, manuals and systems. You have become situationally object-aware: wipe up spills, move
Your frame of mind is the largest factor in maintaining a
strong safety culture. Knowing what you are thinking, what you are reacting to, and how your actions aff ect others can reveal gaps in the safety error chain. Assumptions can cause you to skim over details or tune out the opinions of others; biases can discount the validity or accuracy of discussions, opinions and advice. When you are in a bad mood, you think negative or
irritating thoughts. Anger or any level of anger such as irritation, annoyance, frustration, being upset, outrage or being irate, causes your risk assessment to lean toward optimistic. That is, when you are angry you are more likely to take risks, confi dent that you will not fail. You drive recklessly, your actions are more forceful (slamming things instead of putting them down normally), and are quick to get defensive. Fear or elements of fear (anxiety, worry, uneasiness, apprehension, shock or panic) result in pessimistic risk assessments — you don’t try because you don’t believe you will be successful. “Why should I bother?” and “What’s the use?” are typical responses in this state of mind. These common factors (in no particular order) can and will infl uence what you think, what you feel and ultimately what you do. All can be unconscious behaviors or they can be deliberate and focused actions.
DOMmagazine
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