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doi:10.1016/j.jchas.2006.11.010

Did I really just do that?

D uring the past few years this columnhas been focused on how the internetand electronic resources can help or

improve our day to day functioning as safetyprofessionals. For those of you who are regularreaders, you know that this column has beenunder going somewhat of a change – but it isstill there to help you focus on some of the dailychallenges that we as safety, environmentaland health professionals have to meet. So,with that in mind – what is the basic challengethat is faced daily? The simple answer is riskawareness.

Think about the safety pyramid – what is thebase of the pyramid – the unsafe act. We asprofessionals know that a person can get a waywith the same unsafe act 10, 50 and even 100times before it results in a near miss, injury orsome other catastrophic consequence. But,how many times to does a person do thatduring a single day? Do you perform thesesame unsafe acts?

Think for a moment – do you leave the filedraw open and walk away? Leave a box in atraffic area? Reach into something that youcan’t really see where your hand is going?Use the most expedient tool not the propertool? Fail to use eye protection when workingon equipment? Flip a light switch with wethands? Drive while tired, sick or otherwiseimpaired? The list could go on and on.

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As people, we tend to want to get the jobdone and get it done now. We don’t think aboutthe consequences of our actions or even fun-damentally about what it is we are doing at thetime. How many times have you arrived athome after work and really don’t know exactlyhow you got there? People tend to put sometasks on automatic pilot and this can be asignificant safety issue.

So, howdoweaddress this situation?First,weas safety, environmental and health profes-sionals need to set an example. Even thoughwe ourselves may be guilty of some of theseactions – we need to point out to others whenwe observe them and ask that they do the samefor us. We need to understand that everyoneneeds a reminder from time to time as the actionmay be the result of an old habit that needs to bebroken – for example putting on your seat belt,your safety glasses or different personal protec-tive equipment. We need to be reminded tocheck our safety equipment – when was the lasttime you got a new hard hat, or new gloves?

As people we like to get into our comfortzones and when we are comfortable we tendto take short cuts. We need to increase ourawareness and that awareness is not in ourcomfort zone. So, look around your office andlook at it as though you were an auditor or a newprofessional – what would you see and are youreally aware?

cal Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society 27Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.