The following topics are some simple ways to increase your situational awareness. Toolbox Talk: 4 Keys to Effective Safety Communication, Toolbox Talk: Staying Safe While Performing Non-Routine Tasks, Toolbox Talk: Refocusing After a Vacation or the Holidays, University District Gateway Bridge Celebration, Garco Earns AISC Steel Erectors Certification. Always lock your car doors after entering or leaving your vehicle. In the training, we saw a video of a man who starts whacking a car that is sitting at a stop light with a large metal pipe. ASSESS - The effects that the hazards will have upon you, the people you work with, equipment, procedures, pressures and the environment around you. 2023 Garco Construction - General Contractor for Commercial Construction. So put the phone down. Situational awareness at work is a crucial part of your health and safety. Simply put, in order to have situational awareness you have to be open to a variety of perspectives and insights. As you are taking your different route to work, ask yourself, what if that car pulls right out in front of you where will you go? What would you do? In other terms, this could mean simply instructing workers on the safest way to do things or telling your supervisor about health and safety hazards you see on a job site. Be aware of locations and situations which would make you appear vulnerable to crime, such as alleys and dark parking lots. Login is Emory's authentication tool for logging into multiple web systems and applications. Even listening to music can be a distraction and a safety hazard. Surroundings -Safety Talk Pay attention to your surroundings, It might prevent an injury. Use proper fall protection equipment and 100% tie-off when working in elevated positions. Be aware of your surroundings pay attention. Know which lanes are clear so you can use them if necessary. Failure to observe your surroundings before welding can drastically increase the risk of fire . Some examples practicing situational awareness are: You must have situational awareness when working in a fast-paced work environment such as the construction industry. 2023 Arrowhead General Insurance Agency, Inc. CA License #0699809, How you can prevent business fraud at your company, Steps to prevent winter property damage to roofs, Employers, help workers prevent worksite fatigue [infographic]. Keep all electronic devices in an inside jacket pocket. Do not respond to conversation from strangers on the streetcontinue walking. If youre using headphones, consider using only one, or keeping the volume as low as possible in order to still be able to hear what is going on around you. Practice devising alternate methods of escape if your primary exit becomes compromised. Reduce energy consumption, increase worker productivity and safety with our loading docks and commercial doors. As an example, imagine walking down the street and you observe a shifty man with his hands in his pockets hiding in a dark alleyway as he watches you walk toward him. "As for parents of young children, it is impossible to be with your . It has been said, your gut feeling is not just a guess, your gut feeling is your body reacting based upon knowledge or experience before your mind can fully process the information it is receiving. You should learn to look at things with a 360-degree focus, not just from your view. Do not rely on traffic signals. Welders should always be aware of their surroundings before starting a weld. Take in the whole scene If you only look at the middle of the road, you will miss what is happening on the side of the road and behind you. Keep It All Clean. Because of the size and power of the forklift, operators should stop and wait for pedestrians to clear the area before proceeding along their route with caution. High alert can be scary, but at this level you are still able to function. Electronic Distractions: Whether its staring down at your phone or listening to music, using electronic devices can seriously impair your ability to be aware of what is going on around you. I was going into a store. At least half of the crimes in the Unites States go unreported, either because people don't think the police can do anything about it, or because people don't want to get involved. Pirelli Cinturato Strada All Season Review Is It the Tire for You? Engage your workers with modern technology and content that they can easily consume. Studies have shown that a company's safety performance directly impacts productivity and financial results. Towing a trailer or carrying a heavy load. Use your mirrors. If you are a new driver or a teen, then enrolling in a drivers education class can be beneficial. %PDF-1.5 % This gives you space between your vehicle and the other driver, without having to slam on your brakes or swerve into another lane. Questioning without judgment is a key factor in successful situational awareness. If you carry a purse, carry it securely between your arm and your body. Exuding an aura of confidence, awareness, and capability, regardless of how you actually feel, can help broadcast to any threats that you are an undesirable target, and increase your personal safety. To provide you with the Top 5 Tips for Staying Safe, Guard911 consulted safety expert, Lt. Brian Murphy, a 23-year former Oak Creek, Wisconsin police officer who trains law enforcement officers on situational awareness techniques and strategies, as well as educating citizens on what it means to be aware of your surroundings.. Following these quick tips can improve your awareness. Thats the most important question in self defense, in my opinion. If someone is suspicious take action to notify others and remove yourself from his or her direct path. Make sure you understand all the policies and procedures before you start a new job. You probably already take precautions in your daily life. Senses: Practice engaging all your senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste) to their fullest extent to increase your personal safety. Do not be a tailgater! When your range of vision is limited, get creative about ways to expand it and give yourself an advantage practice utilizing store windows, car windshields, or even other peoples sunglasses to detect threats you wouldnt be able to see otherwise. Be aware of pedestrians in your surroundings. For example, your mind has created a script for driving to the grocery store. 2. Sitting with your back to the wall is a good quick tip. Getting situational awareness right early on is important when you are working on a construction job site. iPods). 0 Would you go through it anyway? Carrying a self defense weapon turns you from a passive observer to an observer that has the tools to fight back. Jamey Noel. Preparing properly for them and taking safety seriously are essential actions to save lives and mitigate damage. Beware electronic distractions. The best way to keep yourself and others safe is to identify the hazards in your workplace and be aware of your surroundings. {4t6V6mf@Vf%qWEGIMRJ)Px#+m. What if that truck doesnt stop at its red light, do you have time to stop, someplace to go? This space cushion will give you room to brake or maneuver if you need the space. On the highway, 1015 seconds is about a quarter of a mile. 2. Be aware of who you are in the electronic world. Dont use put earbuds or headphones in your ears while youre outside is also a way to quickly increase your awareness from your senses. 10,433,143. The last level of awareness, comatose, is what happens when you literally freeze at the wheel and cannot respond to stimuli, either because you have fallen asleep or, at the other end of the spectrum, because you are petrified. Manage - If you feel that the operation is unsafe, stop working. Are there other factors that can impact the situation? While many choose to reaffirm their commitment to a healthy lifestyle, many overlook the flip side of the same coin: personal safety. Do not stay in another drivers blind spot. Being able to stop a task and make adjustments as needed is necessary. Just because it is safe one day does not mean it will be safe every day. My office recently participated in a safety training class. Raymond manufactures innovative electric lift trucks that deliver a lower total cost of ownership. A basic breathing practice that can be used throughout the day, especially during times of stress, is the Four Square Breathing Technique. Ignoring warning signs or not being aware of what could lead to accidents can cause massive issues, as was the case when a crane collapsed in Texas, leaving four dead. To minimize the risk of injury while on the job, keep the following safety practices in mind: 1. The police need the eyes and ears of all citizens. Keep in mind though that being alert extends beyond reading safety signs. Griffith D, and FL Greitzer. Pay attention to your surroundings, minimize the amount of time you talk on your cell phone in public places. Avoid the temptation to check your phone by turning it off or leaving it in your locker. Watch for large vehicles because they can gather speed very quickly. Smelling smoke, chemicals, or gas might tell you that there is a dangerous situation. Scanning your surroundings (keeping your eyes moving) includes keeping a safe distance around your vehicle. There is a tendency to overlook hazards in familiar work settings. Keep your eyes moving. Vigilance is not paranoia, its just understanding and being able to process whats going on around you its a skill and a habit that takes practice something that shouldnt be ignored. Lt. Murphy. Our situational awareness can be further reduced in times of high workload or when under pressure to get a job done on time. Try these personal safety drills at work or in public to form good habits and determine your best response to potential threats. Can you see what others are seeing? people pushing trays of items in a cafeteria), be alert when using stairs or ladders, while walking along corridors etc. Drive far enough behind the car in front of you so you can safely stop; especially in inclement weather, give yourself plenty of reaction time. If the answer is yes, great! The second level of awareness, relaxed awareness, is like defensive driving. It has to be a conscious effort for everyone to have a 360-degree view of situations and show others the importance of doing so. We both know they arent going to notice a potentially dangerous situation. Raken's toolbox talk app makes it easy to choose from a pre-loaded library (or upload your own), then schedule and assign topics for any project. Do not depend only on your mirrors or only looking out a side window. When I was checking out, I noticed he was now standing in front of the store I had entered. Situational awareness is a critical foundation for successful decision making in most situations that you can be put in at work. Successful situational awareness requires a proactive and flexible mindset, which can be achieved through regular practice. This technique is done as followed: Inhale the breath. Yes, that is difficult at first. As living conditions get better for everyone around the world, however, we tend to become less aware of our surroundings. Forklift Pedestrian Safety Tips. This does not mean to be provocative and ask for a confrontation. Information contained on this siteshould not be taken as legal advice. Do not be afraid to let your wishes be . Did you leave yourself enough room to maneuver away? Offensive precautions, or those that allow you to more easily defend yourself, include keeping at least one hand free with your keys or self defense tool (not cellphone) in that hand. This does not just apply to buildings, but can be practiced in cars, public transportation, elevators, and even in outdoor environments. Practice these 6 behaviors to develop a mindset of being aware. (In other words, be just a little paranoid.) Avoid driving directly alongside other vehicles on multilane streets with or without traffic in the opposite direction. As mentioned earlier, situational awareness is a critical skill. Don't allow loud distractions to stop you from keeping your eyes on your surroundings, rather than one direction. In an elevator, be mindful that there is a distress alarm on the control panel. You are relaxed and enjoying your drive, but are still watching for road hazards, maintaining a safe following distance and keeping an eye on the behavior of the drivers around you. Our knowledge, experience and education enables us to understand what is going on around us and helps us to determine if it is safe. Someone may step out from between them, a vehicle door may open, or a vehicle may pull out suddenly. Situational awareness is being aware of what is happening around you in terms of where you are, where you are supposed to be, and whether anyone or anything around you is a threat to your health and safety. When you report all the facts about a crime, it helps the police assign officers in the places where crimes are occurring or where they are most likely to occur, and your report may help prevent a crime from reoccurring. You can observe all the attack cues in the world and still could face an attack. Many hazards are obvious to those who open their eyes and minds to see them. He started yelling at me louder. You probably already do this, it is called defensive driving. 4. Allow enough space between you and the vehicle ahead to give yourself an out. Mistakes cause collisions. This means avoiding the distractions mentioned earlier. What about your friends? The trigger of this habit would be . Look up occasionally to re-scan your surroundings and make note of any changes. Here are some ways you can increase your awareness and have a higher level of security while shopping or dining out. Second, if anything does happen, you'll know where you can run for help. You should aim to avoid falling into this auto-pilot mode while going about your daily life. We can give you your valuable time back with 365 prepared toolbox talks just like this one about watching your surroundings, all delivered from our iOS and Android apps to your workers' phones, so your workers are focused, productive, and accident-free. You cannot be aware of your surroundings on the warehouse floor if you're focused on your phone. Blind spots can hide a motorcyclist, a vehicle or a bicyclist. Everyone that drives a car knows that feeling of forgetting what youre doing after continuously driving a few hours. Although a purse-snatcher's intent is to steal the purse, your personal safety may depend on not clinging to it. If you work alone or after business hours, keep the office door locked. All these activities might help prevent an attack. Most rear end collisions are caused by tailgating. Be aware of your blind spots. A short poem on safety. Los Angeles, CA 90095-1364, Phone: (310) 825-1491 15. In the same vein as minimizing distractions, you want to identify threats before they become threats. It serves two useful purposes. This ability is relevant in a wide variety of circumstances. Emergency situations can and often do escalate quickly due to panic. Be aware of your surroundings and observe all signs, especially those for maximum permitted floor loadings and clearance heights, and check for any overhead objects before lifting or stacking loads. Report all unsafe conditions and near-miss incidents to your supervisor. Basic Safety Tips for Women: Speak Up. Why is this important to a government attorney? A new year is often a time of taking stock: re-evaluating ones accomplishments, goals, and personal habits both the good, and the bad. The level of concentration required for this type of driving makes it extremely tiring and stressful. 441 Likes, 46 Comments. Ask questions about certain job scenarios and even role play if it helps you get a better understanding of what you need to do. Advocates Have your car keys in your hand so you don't have to linger before entering your car. Turn on your lights during the day, if it is hard to see or you cannot see at least 1,000 feet ahead of you. Next, breathe deep through your nose. If this does not work, pull off the road when it is safe and let the tailgater pass. The driver behind you wants to pass. In this post, Ill discuss a number of techniques and tips that can help you learn how to increase awareness of your surroundings. In this toolbox talk, learn about situational awareness and how being aware of your surroundings can be an important safety precaution to preventing accidents on the construction site. The primary element in establishing this mindset is first to recognize that a threat or hazard exists. Know where your kids are. Denial is a save now, pay later scheme. Schools and businesses that continue to be in denial must realize it is not a matter of if they will face an active killer or an attempt of mass violence, but rather when. Lt. Murphy. Check your mirrors often. However, being aware of your surroundings could save you from ever even having to use the weapon. Accidents don't come with a warning - prioritize safety in the workplace and avoid preventable injuries. Whether you're at home or at work, following an emergency plan will help you keep the situation in control as much as possible. Personal Space: If someone is crowding you, seems suspicious, or is displaying threatening body language, scan them for subtle signs of violent intent or a hidden weapon. A lot of information is out there about you. Do you think these people are likely to notice the pre-attack cues of a potentially dangerous situation? But, if you are taken by surprise your ability to respond appropriately and adequately is limited. If you pass the same point before you finish counting, you are following too closely. By being mentally prepared, you can have the upper hand. Many drivers follow too closely (tailgate) and are not able to see as far ahead as they should because the vehicle ahead blocks their view. Thankfully for us, most people already do a very good job reading body language and have a good understanding of potentially dangerous body language. Stay safe this spring break by following safety tips from the Institutional Access and Compliance Office. Situational awareness is a great tool to use to prevent injuries and after all, you are the best resource to prevent injuries from happening. Technology draws us in and makes it harder to observe the vital things around us. Regardless of the time of year, making a commitment to ones personal safety is always an excellent idea. What if this was happening to the person in the car next to you? In other words, not falling into a routine. 38 views, 1 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from DynamiQ Safety&Health Ltd: Accidents don't come with a warning . If you participate in any type of social media, are your settings the most secure they can be? Last but not least do not assume that just because you told someone about a risk or a correct procedure that they heard you or they agreed with you. If you work late, try to find another worker or a security guard to walk out with you. First, stop talking so you can be aware of your surroundings rather than verbally reacting. Situational awareness is the opposite of being distracted. Be aware of your surroundings. If you are out shopping and you notice someone frequently and they appear to be overly observant of or interested in, or acting out of normal (remember, point 4), trust your gut. For our purposes well focus on situational awareness for self-defense purposes as it is a very important self-defense skill. You dont know. The best way to be safe is to know your surroundings and pay attention to everything and everyone around you. Always be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of your surroundings Your coworkers won't be able to hear your ideas or take you seriously when there is a pile of dirty clothes in the corner behind you. What Pocket Knife does MacGyver Use to be Prepared For Everything? The third level of awareness, focused awareness, is like driving in hazardous road conditions. With that in mind, the full extent of potentially dangerous body language is beyond the scope of this article. In the city, 1015 seconds is about one block. Check the interior of your vehicle for intruders before entering your car. Consider these tips: Keep your distance. Do you know if your school, university, workplace, or place of worship has a response plan and training program for active intruder incidents or other emergencies? No one can predict disaster, and situational awareness can be the determining factor between life and death. Toolbox Talk Topic: Situational Awareness Situational awareness is being aware of your surroundings: where you are, where you are supposed to be and nearby threat to your health and safety. . Login. 2. Be aware of your surroundings. Check out the new logo that I created on LogoMakr.com https://logomakr.com/8SX1NH. It is still a defensive, not offensive, tool in your arsenal. Exits: Always be aware of your exits, and have an exit strategy. Be prepared for rapid changes in road conditions and traffic flow. Situational awareness: Understanding the current environment and being able to accurately anticipate future problems to enable effective actions.1 Why is this important? Mentally prepare yourself, believe and know that you can protect yourself and your family if you need to. The first part of the process is the cue or trigger, the second is the routine or behavior itself, and the third is the reward. Are you still searching for toolbox talks on google and then taking that information and re-packaging it for your safety meeting? Facebook can wait. Assuming you have good tires, good brakes, and dry pavement: Adjust your driving speed to the weather and road conditions (refer to the Basic Speed Law in the Speed Limits section). Make sure if your employer provides training on situational awareness that you attend because you can always improve yourself. However, combining great awareness with a weapon might increase your odds of fending of an attack. Get taxis or arrange a lift. Whatever you do, do not downplay the importance of the drill or neglect to pay attention to how procedures are carried out as you may be the one who needs saving or could potentially save another life. Taking proper precautions covers a wide variety of areas. Trust your gut. The owner of this website, ZCS Ventures, LLC, is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking defensiveplanet.com reviews to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. In these active shooter situations, theres no room for complacency. There is nothing to worry about. Your friends can wait. About 16. hWmo9+YHF]th%@ PV{0`pp8b(/HZQ`4p%&h^ `N'dHT^9-|Qug>>I)%A86pF~ yJME!7Rin>AxY1 It is important that you know how many problems you face and how serious they are. Attend a demo, get a free Raken Carhartt beanie. Be aware of escape routes for emergencies and post the police and fire department numbers near telephones. 6. Motorcyclists can fall more easily on these surfaces. Where could I escape? Premeditating such responses can help them to become second-nature in the event of an actual emergency, making your response more effective. endstream endobj 50 0 obj <> endobj 51 0 obj <> endobj 52 0 obj <>stream It is easy to get wrapped up in the task at hand and lose track of your surroundings. Be aware of your surroundings on the job and use them to your advantage. Apathy, denial and complacency can be deadly. By remaining close to the people you trust and know well, you'll reduce the risk of being targeted by people who are up to no good and could be out to take advantage. First, notice your surroundings. Taking your safety seriously doesnt just help you, but can benefit others as well. Don't presume changes in your surroundings are innocent or fine. Always look to each side of your vehicle at intersections, crosswalks, and railroad crossings. One of the most effective ways to do this, short of enrolling in formal classes or self-defense training, is by practicing everyday situational awareness. Recognizing hazards is an important part of keeping you and your co-workers safe . Of course the most important factor in reading body language is just noticing the persons body. BY looking with your ears, you simply are following the environment and what it wants you to see, rather than everything else that may matter that is going on simultaneously. Avoid situations that could force you to suddenly use your brakes. This is how your strengths and opportunities for improvement can be identified. Examples that we see every day include: Talking or texting on a smart phone; Walking around listening to music on ear phones; Daydreaming; Maintaining good awareness of your surroundings helps you stay safe. Ask yourself if you have the proper tools, training and PPE to perform the task safely. Reduce your speed. endstream endobj startxref Be Aware of Your Surroundings. Dont be predictable. Leave a little later. Schools and businesses MUST be prepared for an act of terrorism and they MUST act quickly when faced with it. We will discuss the habit by looking at Duhigg's habit loop. If you stay calm, you can think, and if you can think, you can make good decisions.. Ensure all . You dont need specialized training like a CIA agent or to be a born natural to have good awareness. Always be aware of what's going on all around the vehicle. There is a tendency to If you have done this, then youve experienced being tuned out. *bgv&bT!zv~[a ? If you feel vulnerable dont be afraid to ask for assistance. Finally, if a crime does occurREPORT IT! Frequent practice is vital, as no two situations are the same, and every environment provides unique conditions that will challenge your adaptability. Most people never see it coming., How much are you willing to sacrifice to be ignorant? asked Lt. Murphy. If you are doing this to make tasks safer for you and others and to get the task done more efficiently you are showing situational awareness. To avoid tailgating, use the three-second rule: when the vehicle ahead of you passes a certain point such as a sign, count one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three. Counting these numbers takes approximately three seconds. In this safety talk, we will go over what situational awareness is and ways you can improve on it in your daily lives including at work.