SHORTCUTS
A SHORTCUT FIX & SAFETY DO NOT MIX
What are some reasons why people take shortcuts?
When people perceive that there isn’t enough time to get a job done, they sometimes feel a need to over-compensate and they begin to rush their work.
Unless the person makes a deliberate effort to think through each task at hand, these circumstances can lead to taking potentially dangerous shortcuts.
Why is this?
Shortcuts happen after the job has been started. As a result, they are rarely evaluated during a JSA, or during review of an operating procedure. So it’s likely that the potential hazards created by the shortcut have not been considered or assessed.
When the goal becomes to get the job done quickly, and at any cost, the person is in a hurry to make that happen, and choices are made based on habits or convenience. Safety is no longer part of the plan.
In these situations, failure to identify and guard against hazardous conditions or unsafe actions increases the chance of an incident or injury.
So stick to the plan. If you feel pressured to meet a deadline that is no longer reasonable, talk it through with your supervisor. Make sure the decisions you make are based on a plan and not a spur of the moment decision.
So a darn good question to ask is – do I really need to be in a hurry?