Task observation

Hazardous tasks Observe caution while driving or performing other tasks requiring alertness. 

Another approach emphasizes use of task observation by peers and providing feedback as a way to modify behavior. Workers learn how to make observations and provide useful positive and negative feedback to reduce behaviors that can lead to accidents and injuries. In some ways, this approach is similar to the critical incident technique. Some feel that a weakness of this approach is management pushing... 

Observe The first of these sub-tasks, observing the indication, is relatively quick to do. so long as an operator is present to hear or observe the indication. Flowever, it does rely on the indication of the alarm being clear and not being hidden by other alarms or information being communicated at the same time. Any assessment of reliability of this sub-task depends on... 

Leadership and administration Management training Planned inspections Task analysis and procedures Accident/incident investigation Task observation Emergency preparedness Organisational rules Accident/incident analysis Employee training... 

Agree upon and standardize vehicle prestart checks. Identify high-risk tasks, conduct analyses, write procedures, and do critical task observations. 

Regardless of whether operating equipment, working as a laborer on the floor, or working in management, task observation, when used appropriately, is a valuable tool for improving performance. 

Formal task observation allows constructive input from trainers or supervisors that observe the employee at work. If possible, the employee should be observed without his or her knowledge. This will allow for a more accurate data collection. Note As a prerequisite to any observation, assure that all employees are aware a task observation program exists, and that they will be observed at some point. The employees should also be made aware that observation is not for punishment, it is to maintain a higher level of performance and allow for continuous improvement. 

Management and supervisors are practiced at observing the job site, and perhaps even to an informal level conducting task observations. Generally, however, they do not conduct formal task observation. To conduct a formal task observation program is not too far from what they are aheady practiced in. 

Step 1. Develop a standard observation procedure. Identify who should do formal observations. The author generally makes task observation a two-phase process. Both a quaUfied trainer (if available) and the front-line supervisor conduct the observation. (Not at the same time. Their notes and/ or work sheet are compared later.)... 

Identify when task(s) are to be observed. Task observation should be required, and it should be part of the supervisor s and trainer s evaluation. Tasks should be observed on a regular basis. (A schedule should be followed, and it should be flexible but firm.) In some cases several tasks can be observed at the same time. Those conducting the observation (the frontline supervisor and the trainer) should coordinate their activities to coincide with each other, so the results can be compared at nearly the same time. 

Step 3. Train the observers. Those conducting the observation should be given training in how to conduct task observation. They must learn to utilize the standard observation procedure and the work sheet, as well as generally how to conduct observations. 

Step 4. Conduct the task observation. Task observation should be conducted on the employee s regular shift. If possible the employee should not be alerted to the fact that he or she is being observed. 

Hoyos, C. Graf, Demands and stress in supervisory tasks observations in railroad traffic control centres, in G. Salvendy 8 M.J. Smith (Eds.), Machine pacing and occupational stress, London, Taylor Francis, 1981, pp. 329-335. 

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