Pause for 4 Questions

At Safety Nest, we believe that safety is not simply compliance. As a matter of fact, our approach to workplace safety doesn't aim for compliance. We strive to do what's in the best interest of both employers and employees. Careful planning and designing of processes with the input from both leadership and front line employees lead to improvements in both productivity and safety.

Here's one example.

Try to get in the habit of asking these 4 questions before you start your day, when you switch to a different task, or before you try something new:

• What are the biggest risks for the work I'm about to do?

• What can I do about these risks?

• What controls are in place to mitigate these risks?

• What can I do if these controls fail?

These questions apply to many different aspects of work, not just safety. Risks can involve environmental factors like the weather, the availability of resources (tools, people, or supplies) required to do the scheduled work, or having the required permits/approvals to do the scheduled work. Going through these questions, though, regardless of the type of risk, will result in adding worker safety into the options of risk mitigation.

These questions can be answered by an individual, but it's best if it's done in a group! Getting more people involved will result in better solutions. Add this routine to pre-shift discussions and work together to identify risks before your work is affected.

For more tips, browse through the rest of our blog or contact us!