Types of Job Safety Observations

Management should outline the purpose and types of job safety observations, including how to select a job or task for planned safety observations, how to prepare for a planned safety observation, how to use a checklist of activities to observe unsafe procedures, what the employees role in the observation process is, what occurs after the observation, and how to deal with unsafe behavior and performance. 

Hazards of all types can exist in healthcare facilities and organizations must take steps to identify and control these hazards. Conducting periodic tours, inspections, and surveys can help identify and control hazards. Organizations with established safety cultures can rely on staff vigilance to help identify hazards and help prevent accidents. Healthcare supervisors must also focus on correcting unsafe acts and behaviors. Facility personnel at all levels should learn to observe hazards and behaviors that could contribute to accidents. Senior leads should stress the importance of job safety education and training. Supervisors should communicate the need for personal involvement in safety and hazard control efforts. 

Accident prevention techniques, such as job hazard analysis, safe operating procedures, and job safety observations, have their application to specific jobs within the workplace. In general, they aim to address and identify existing or potential work-related hazards. These types of accident prevention techniques are emphasized in this book. Most books addressing accident prevention techniques usually emphasize specific job hazards and their prevention, such as fire safety and machine guarding. This particular book places only minor emphasis on specific job hazards. 

The first type of behavior-related measures that can be used before the fact, or before an accident occurs, is the percentage of safe behaviors observed for an observation time. The greater the percentage of safe behaviors, the smaller the percentage of unsafe behaviors, and, thus, the fewer chances for an accident. Other types of measures related to the performance of safe behaviors involve a number of activity-based measures. Some of these may include monitoring the number of job tasks evaluated for potential hazards and compliance with various safety regulations, the number of job tasks for which safe job procedures have been established, and the amount of safety training provided to workers. 

Safety officials soon find that safety is not something you read about or practice only on occasion. It has to be observed constantly. Most industries place a high premium on safety—they simply cannot afford to ignore it. When on-the-job injuries occur, some type of causal factor is always... 

Another area where you can get involved in safety is participating in job observations or job safety analyses when you have the chance. It s an excellent way to learn about safety. Compliment a coworker who s working safely— Hey Bobby, I see you ve got that guard on the table saw. Good job In fact, it is this type of observation that is the cornerstone of behavior-based safety. 

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