A hazard is defined as an incident, a thing likely to cause injury, a chance of being injured or harmed, or a possible source of danger.
Hazards are present on every jobsite. They include falls, flying debris, lacerations, electrical, confined spaces, noise, use of tools, fire, illumination, scaffolds, ladders, aerial lifts, defective equipment, material handling and storage, and housekeeping. It is the right and responsibility of every employee to work in a hazard free environment. Take a few seconds before beginning your task to look for hazards created by the work you are about to perform, evaluate the current weather conditions, and consider the workers, equipment, and machinery around you.
Many small things influence our lives; and not paying attention to them can sometimes have disastrous consequences…especially when it comes to safety.
Fortunately, most of us have been trained to keep an eye out for the “big hazards” that could cause injury. But, sometimes, it’s the little or unnoticed hazards that can cause us the greatest harm.
Over 80% of all workplace injury arises from worker behavior. We make mistakes, errors in judgment or simply do not have our full attention on the job, and something happens. There is also a tendency to get so focused on getting the job done that we do not recognize the obvious.
Pre-job Review:
Examines hazards associated with a specific job;
- Separate the job into basic steps;
- Analyze each step to identify potential and actual hazards;
- Develop safe job procedures known as
- Job safety analysis (JSA)
- Job hazard analysis (JHA)
- Job safety environmental analysis (JSEA).
Safety awareness:
So how do you know you’ve developed good safety awareness?
Here are some good examples of behaviors that suggest you have good safety awareness:
- Before you begin a job, you consider how to do it more safely.
- You make sure you know how and when to use personal protective equipment.
- As you work, you check your position to reduce strain on your body.
- While you are working, you become aware of any changes in the area – people coming or going, jobs beginning or ending.
- You start talking with others about safety.
Monitor yourself today and see if you’ve got good safety awareness. If you don’t, one of the best ways to gain further awareness is to step back and take a hard look at your or a coworker’s actions as they are performing a job. Watch for risky actions.
You will learn and if you’re watching coworkers . . . share those observations with them to help them go home safely each and every day.
If you are aware of it, take care of it!!
Download flyer: SMOTW_545_Hazard Safety-Recognition Download Spanish flyer: SMOTW_545_Hazard Safety-Recognition_esp
