Reset…Refocus…Act Safety

Reset…Refocus…Act

When is your mind most likely to wonder?

Things do not always go as planned, at home or at work.

When we have a personal issue, it’s hard to leave it at home.  It may be a family member who is ill, a disagreement with a friend that got out of hand, or simply everyday stress.  Whatever the cause, it’s not always easy to get it out of our minds.

Our work can have its own issues.  How often do we get frustrated when priorities change or when equipment is not operating as we expect it to?  The weather doesn’t always cooperate either.

As a result, our minds may not be 100% on the job.  We may feel fatigued if a personal issue is keeping us awake at night.  We may be thinking about how a job should be going instead of thinking in the present about what’s in front of us.  We may start to daydream as we mentally try to resolve a personal issue.

We know the rules.  We know the procedures.  We have the skills and knowledge to work safely.  We know what the correct tools are for a job.  But, let’s face it; there are times when our head just is not in the game.  And losing focus is not a good thing.

But we all need to know when this is happening and then Reset, Refocus, and Act.

That’s what “4 Seconds to Safety” is all about.  It’s recognizing that we can lose our focus, acknowledging it when it happens, and then doing something about it.  When we catch ourselves with our head not in the game, we need to stop and take 4 Seconds to Safety.  In those 4 seconds clear your head, refocus, check your surroundings, and review the job.  Ask yourselves the following questions….

  • Am I putting myself or others at risk?
  • Am I prepared to continue to work safely?
  • Am I focused on what needs to get done?
  • Am I ready to act to do it safely?

Only proceed after you know with certainty that the job will get done safely.