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Awareness vs. Complacency: The Value of Reviewing Safety Moments

By Rob Chernish
Last updated: October 22, 2019
Key Takeaways

Learn how reviewing safety moments can increase safety awareness on the job site. Complacency can be as dangerous as ignorance, so brush up before it's too late.

Most safety accidents aren't the result of ignorance. Usually, the main culprit is complacency.

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The majority of accidents happen to people who know the hazards associated with their job but have known them so long that they stop taking them seriously. They leave the machine guard off to make a few quick cuts. They don't bother putting their safety gloves on to move a pane of glass a couple of feet. They leave the respirator hanging around their neck instead of donning it over their nose and mouth because they can tolerate the smell of the fumes.

No one wants to get injured on the job or be involved in an accident at work. Workers care about their safety, but they also care about doing their work tasks well. They tend to look for ways to streamline their job and carry it out more efficiently. Often, that's accomplished by skipping one or two steps in the safe work procedures.

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That's where safety moments come in. They not only provide a refresher on safe work procedures, they also remind workers why they should be following those procedures in the first place.

What Is a Safety Moment?

You might call them safety moments, safety minutes, safety chats, or toolbox talks. No matter the name, they're all the same: a brief (2 to 5 minutes) talk that addresses a specific safety subject.

These talks are led by a manager or supervisor and typically take place at the start of a shift, though they can also be held before a formal meeting or at the end of the workday. They don't usually provide employees with new information; instead, they act as reminders that ensure safety stays at the forefront of every employee's mind.

The topic will be different every time but should be relevant to the work the employees will be carrying out. It could be a specific hazard they might encounter over the course of their shift, the proper way to fit a respirator, or going over the steps of a procedure like lockout/tagout.

An effective safety moment should:

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  • Cover an aspect of workplace policy
  • Highlight the rationale behind the policy and how it keeps workers safe
  • Remind workers of the consequences of not following the policy
  • Reinforce the importance of health and safety more generally
  • Answer questions, provide clarifications, and answer any doubts or concerns employees may have

Keep a Safety Moment Database

Halliburton, one of the largest multinational companies in the world, keeps more than 27 pages of safety moments for their people to learn from. These cover a range of safety topics, from general ones like working at heights to more specific protocols like how to proceed when safety controls need to be bypassed.

Why so many safety moments?

Well, imagine for a moment that you've just been transferred overseas. You show up to work and although you've done the job before, many aspects of it feel unfamiliar. The equipment isn't the same as the one you used back home, the work procedures differ slightly, and there's a language barrier that makes it even harder to get your bearings.

That stack of detailed safety moments is your lifeline. It quickly brings you up to speed and makes sure you understand how to work safely in this new environment. And the safety moments that cover things you already know act as brief refreshers on important safety topics.

Even after that initial adjustment, the safety moments will continue to be beneficial. Not only do they help keep workers focused on safety, but they're also a great way to combat the complacency about safety procedures that tends to set in after working incident-free for months on end.

(Learn 6 Ways a Permanent, In-House Safety Trainer Can Benefit Your Organization)

Basic Starting Points

If you don't already have a large database of safety moments, where do you start?

A great first step is to conduct a business threat assessment. This will give you a clear picture of the types of risks found in your workplace, as well as their severity. The results should guide you when selecting and compiling safety moments, since your database should reflect the hazards your workers are likely to face during work hours.

Here is a sample list of safety moment topics that could be included in such a database:

  • Lifting and Hoisting — Save your back and prevent injuries by learning the proper techniques
  • Hand Tools — Learn more about the hazards posed by hand tools prior to operation
  • Dropping Objects — Dropping heavy objects can hit a toe, or a co-worker, so get in the know!
  • Heights — Gravity is a powerful force, so harness up!
  • Chemicals — Chemistry and carelessness don't mix! Don’t mix chemicals unless you know what you are doing
  • Confined Spaces — Learn about the dangers of confined spaces
  • Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) — This is a must for any job!
  • Permit to Work — Learn about the requirements needed to work in an area
  • Driving Safety — Driving safety on the worksite is different than it is on the road
  • Securing Loads — Learn about what determines a secure load
  • Know Your Signs — Signs are critical to safety, so learn about the important information they convey
  • Pressure Awareness — Learn about the various levels of pressure to know what is harmful
  • Know Your Exits — Knowing where to exit an accident zone is of the utmost of importance
  • Stop Work Authority — Who has the authority to stop work?
  • See it, Own it — See a problem, fix it, and don’t wait for someone else to do it (a great reminder of the importance of safety culture)
  • Distracted Driving — Distracted driving can include a number of things, so get up to speed
  • Ladder Safety — Careless ladder use is a common cause of accidents
  • Driver Fatigue — Taking a rest can be crucial to safety behind the wheel, even when workers believe they can just power through their fatigue

Safety Always Comes First

Cutting corners can be tempting, but remember that safety always comes first. All the hard work employees put into their jobs could be in vain if an accident takes place.

So, take the time to prepare relevant safety moments and review them with your team. In the end, everybody will benefit.

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Written by Rob Chernish

Rob Chernish
A writer from Canada with firsthand experience in Oil, Gas, Mining, and environmental safety.

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