Incorporate safety into your daily routine
Most of us have a daily routine at home. We do the same thing in the same order, every day. Wake up. Get dressed. Brush your teeth. These routines help us stay on track and keep our dentists happy. They also tend to continue into our workday. Put on your badge. Stow your phone. Get your first cup of coffee. And then we are faced with a wonderful opportunity—an opportunity to add safety to our daily routine using a very important tool.
Research studies have identified and confirmed that job planning is the single most effective option we have to prevent accidents. At JT4, we utilize a formal task hazard assessment (THA) to improve workplace safety. A THA provides a real-time assessment of your ability to do the task within the current conditions, including available personnel, equipment, environmental conditions and time constraints.
In our busy and mission-oriented environment, our work activities have to be planned well in advance to complete all tasks promptly and effectively. We have many talented and hardworking individuals who ensure mission and maintenance schedules line up to give each of us the most time, the necessary equipment as well as the right number of people to get the job done safely. Therefore, it may be natural to think that you have already covered all of your bases. However, even when you have planned your project or task weeks or even months in advance, conditions change, and it is impossible to account for every eventuality. Performing a THA at the start of a job allows you to assess your ability to complete that task safely today. It is much better to identify risks and limitations before you start the task than find yourself in a hazardous situation later.
It only takes 28 days to create a habit. Make THAs part of your daily routine, and do your part to keep yourself and your coworkers safe, one day at a time. ////