Recognizing hazards and changing your approach is a proactive method to enhance safety. This is an essential practice in both life and the workplace. It involves being aware of potential risks and taking steps to eliminate, control, or correct them. This kind of proactive behavior can help prevent accidents and ensure safety for you and others.
One of the key leading indicators of workplace safety is hazard recognition and correction. This process helps employers and employees identify risks and take proactive steps before they cause accidents and injuries. Unfortunately, the process is often formalized, scheduled, and removed from the direct control of supervisors and workers, with hazards often overlooked or ignored.
The relationship between hazards and accidents is best explained by Heinrich’s Triangle Theory or the “safety pyramid.” The base of the pyramid consists of the number of unsafe acts, behaviors, or conditions (hazards) caused by a worker in the workplace and performing tasks over time. Progressing up the pyramid, each layer depicts the incidents that may stem from those hazards – near misses, minor injuries, major injuries, and fatalities.
Heinrich’s research revealed a consistent ratio in workplace accidents: for every major injury, there are 29 minor injuries and 300 near misses. This indicates that addressing minor incidents and near misses can help reduce the risk of major accidents. The research also showed that employers rarely investigate accidents or take corrective action until there is a “loss with a cost,” such as an injury or damage. For those who genuinely want to reduce injuries and losses, it is important to train and empower direct supervisors and workers to “recognize the hazard and change their approach when encountering unsafe behaviors, conditions, or near misses.”
Hazard recognition and correction can be significantly improved by supplying employees with management support, training, and tools to identify hazards and take action:
Competent Supervisor versus Person — In most organizations, employers hire and promote individuals to a competent supervisor role who possess the necessary trade knowledge, skills, and experience to effectively manage a team and ensure a productive work environment. This includes understanding processes, working within policies, delegating tasks, providing clear communication and guidance to workers, and fostering a positive and productive work culture. They are given the authority to take appropriate actions to complete tasks on time, within budget, and at the expected level of quality.
Unfortunately, safety is often not emphasized enough. According to OSHA, a “competent person” is someone who has the knowledge, skills, and authority to identify and fix workplace hazards. They are not only able to recognize hazardous conditions but also have the power to take immediate corrective actions to eliminate or mitigate those hazards. A key step to improving workplace safety is raising its importance to equal status with schedule, budget, and quality control.
Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) / Job Briefing — Before starting operations or processes, supervisors typically review plans or specifications for the work tasks to ensure that the necessary tools, materials, personnel, and resources are available to complete the job efficiently. Sometimes, safety is overlooked or forgotten. Using a JHA can help supervisors identify potential hazards and determine corrective actions before work begins. Conducting a job briefing can remind employees of the hazards they might face and the methods to prevent injuries and perform the task safely. Safety measures can be discussed and established to manage or correct hazards as they arise.
Use a basic JHA form to identify hazards, controls, and PPE at the job task (or step) level. JHA hazard information can be used to develop separate safe work procedures for assigned tasks and employees. This type of form can be found at bit.ly/4m8VbCx.
Task Inspections –- Regular informal inspections by supervisors and workers of tools, equipment, and tasks to identify hazards throughout the work are essential for “coaching and correcting” to occur so hazards can be controlled as they are encountered. These are different from the detailed inspections checklists assigned for facilities or sites on a set schedule or frequency as part of the safety program. Basically, everyone is checking that the hazard controls and PPE outlined in the job hazard analysis are being implemented.
Work permits –- These permits are often required by OSHA regulations or company policies and must be completed and documented by designated “competent” persons for higher-risk tasks. These tasks include trenching, confined space entry, lockout/tagout, crane and rigging, live electrical work, hot work, among others. Using the permit process, the ‘competent person’ must review the job, identify the hazards involved, and determine hazard control methods on the permit.
Additionally, the “competent” person must approve the work plan and authorize workers to perform tasks before work begins. This ensures hazards are identified and controls are established both before and during the work. Implementing a practice where supervisors and workers recognize hazards and adjust their approach is a proactive way to reduce unsafe behavior and near misses before accidents happen. It helps create a safer work environment, lowers costs related to injuries and accidents, and enhances your overall safety program.
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