There are many worries that can cloud our minds today: COVID-19, the election results, the economy, our jobs, etc.
How has your state of mind been these past months?
These are four the states of mind that can trigger or contribute to possible injuries:
Rushing
Frustration
Fatigue
Complacency
Can anyone think of an accident that has occurred when someone was in one of the four dangerous states of mind above?
Think about the dangerous states of mind again: Are they a part of life? Yes, and you may not be able to eliminate them, but you can minimize their effects.
Look at different types of shift work to improve quality of sleep, helping reducing fatigue.
Take frequent breaks, schedule the most difficult tasks of each day for times when your concentration is best, such as first thing in the morning.
Better communication will always reduce frustration and practicing behavior-based safety observations will help improve awareness and fight complacency.
Complacency is extremely dangerous in the workplace. We get so used to things being done the same way that we tend to overlook the hazards in our surroundings. We may also underestimate the risks associated with the tasks that we perform regularly or fail to notice a change in our environment when we become complacent. When working on the job, learn to observe other people for these states of risks and you will automatically start thinking more about your own safety.
You also need to analyze your bumps, bruises, close calls: were these caused by your state of mind or habits? If it is a dangerous habit you will need to work on changing that too.
Here are 3 things to work on when dealing with the state of mind triggers:
- observe others
- work on your own habits
- analyze close calls
Let’s be safe out there!
