be aware of your surroundings safety talk

For example, your mind has created a script for driving to the grocery store. Keep your workplace clear from clutter Keep your eyes moving. 4. Technology draws us in and makes it harder to observe the vital things around us. You probably think you already do this, but being intentional about locating exits and doors, paying attention to the people around you, and practicing simple habits like looking over your shoulder in a parking lot before you get into your car should be part of your daily routine. At 35 mph, it takes about 210 feet to react and bring the vehicle to a complete stop. Frequent practice is vital, as no two situations are the same, and every environment provides unique conditions that will challenge your adaptability. Stay in well-lighted areas as much as possible. Give yourself this time by keeping a space cushion on all sides of your vehicle. The primary element in establishing this mindset is first to recognize that a threat or hazard exists. 2. Check your rear view mirrors every two five seconds so you know the position of vehicles near you. Environmental Health and Safety provides services and support for efficient, effective, and compliant work practices, while promoting a culture of shared responsibility by students, faculty, staff and visitors for a healthy, safe, and environmentally soun 6. Follow your emergency plan. Be aware of your surroundings. Taking your safety seriously doesnt just help you, but can benefit others as well. 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. Remember the acronym, SLAM: Stop Look Assess Manage Stop the task and ask: Is this a new task? It is important that each individual is looking out for his or her own safety as well as looking out for their workmates. A man standing a few stores down yelled and asked me for bus money. A basic breathing practice that can be used throughout the day, especially during times of stress, is the Four Square Breathing Technique. How many Martial Arts schools are there in the US. Protect your Back: Utilize walls and other barriers to protect your back and sides and maximize your field of vision, taking care not to back yourself into a corner. Observation has always been an important part of human survival. Should you have questions about how this pertains to your job talk to your supervisor or foreman. Beware electronic distractions. 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. Be careful what you put out there and how much information you put out there about your family. 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. Dont make yourself vulnerable. Many criminals develop favorite areas for committing crime, as well as predictable methods of operation. Additionally, be sure not to get complacent in familiar environments, such as your workplace or a regularly frequented lunch spot. Tech Support Be aware of who you are in the electronic world. 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. 73 0 obj <>stream Brake slowly before stopping. Lt. Murphys experience during these exercises is just one example of why consistent training and drills in schools, offices, and places of worship are so important. Street Precautions Be alert to your surroundings and the people around youespecially if you are alone or it is dark. Quotes about Awareness of Surroundings 19 Picture Quotes 5 Written Quotes We are gifted with freedom, but with that freedom comes the reality of the unknown and the responsibility to be aware of our surroundings and on guard against those who would do us harm. For our purposes we'll focus on situational awareness for self-defense purposes as it is a very important self-defense skill. Votes: 2 Mike Crapo How Situationally Aware People Create a Resilient Organization Make sure you communicate until everyone involved understands what is going on. The first level, tuned out, is similar to when you are driving and are engrossed in thought and arrived somewhere in your vehicle without even thinking about driving there. Tragedy can strike anywhere at any time, but being observant and thoughtfully watching your surroundings can make all the difference in a potentially dangerous situation. OFFICE 4114 E BROADWAY AVE | SPOKANE, WA 99202, 1145 BROADWAY PLAZA, STE 1340 | TACOMA, WA 98402. Like if a job is too risky for one person to do it, or if a machine seems faulty. Do they talk with you and then everyone can see? Watching your surrounding can reduce the risk of vehicle collisions, dropping objects, injuries from falling objects and many other accidents. Consider, whether you need to tell someone or react. Ultimate Guide to Construction Management, perception of the elements in the environment. Be aware of your surroundings. Reflective Surfaces: One of your biggest advantages in a dangerous situation is being able to see the danger coming with enough time to react appropriately. Questioning without judgment is a key factor in successful situational awareness. However, combining great awareness with a weapon might increase your odds of fending of an attack. 14. Before complacency has set in-it can be a silent killer! Every single day for the past 30 years, at least three workers don't make it home and thousands more experience a serious injury. First, they should try to find a person in uniform, like a police officer, security guard, or store employee. Teach your children danger signs. Blind spots can hide a motorcyclist, a vehicle or a bicyclist. This means you shouldn't be looking down at your phone, and you should also avoid wearing headphones. Your email address will not be published. When you think the work environment has changed since your last time there. Then, if they spot something out of the ordinary that could be a threat or hazard, they can dial up to a state of focused awareness and take a careful look at that potential hazard or threat. Keep doing this until you start doing it without meaning to. 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. Situational awareness: Preparing your team for the unexpected. Always lock your car doors after entering or leaving your vehicle. But, the points that I took away from the training session were that you can protect yourself. You can pick up lots of information up just from listening. For our purposes well focus on situational awareness for self-defense purposes as it is a very important self-defense skill. Back up. ), and on gravel. Proceed With Caution A warehouse is a busy place, with many different things going on at once. Most rear end collisions are caused by tailgating. Are you still searching for toolbox talks on google and then taking that information and re-packaging it for your safety meeting? Do you think these people are likely to notice the pre-attack cues of a potentially dangerous situation? Turn and look over your right and left shoulders before you begin backing. Suspicious People: This is an obvious one. 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? There is a tendency to overlook hazards in familiar work settings. Situational awareness refers to being aware of what is happening around you, where you are in relation to other people and things, and what potential threats there may be. You dont dare take your eyes off the road or let your attention wander. Stay focused at all times. Cars, motorcycles, bicyclists, and people that may be in the road by the time you reach them. The vast majority of communication is done through body language, not spoken language. Follow these parking lot safety tips whenever you find yourself in a parking lot on foot. Our situational awareness can be further reduced in times of high workload or when under pressure to get a job done on time. Now, that may sound harsh, but to say that its not going to happen here is giving yourself permission to not be aware of whats around you.. 1. Know where your kids are. Being alert and aware of potential hazards and safety issues is the first way to avoid workplace injuries. To ensure drivers are aware of their surroundings, they should be free from distractions, follow the speed limit, and keep their eyes on the road at all times. Your instincts exist to protect you it is always better to be overcautious than to ignore warning signs that turned out to be legitimate. Becoming carefree on the job can be disastrous due in no small part to becoming complacent, as stated earlier. . Situational awareness is the opposite of being distracted. Exits: Always be aware of your exits, and have an exit strategy. And again, remind them about instincts: If they don't have a good feeling about a certain person, they should approach . Be alert of your surroundings. This widens your monitoring range for detecting anything out of the ordinary. Watch Your Back. endstream endobj startxref 2. {4t6V6mf@Vf%qWEGIMRJ)Px#+m. Never Carry Extra People. 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. Allow other coworkers to give you ideas of what could and could not work in situations. Also keep a close eye on the trailer. How can you improve your situational awareness? Discuss what actions are needed with your customer or supervisor to make the situation safe. Consider, whether you need to tell someone or react. News & Media This technique is done as followed: Inhale the breath. Studies have shown that a company's safety performance directly impacts productivity and financial results. Only use your devices after youve determined you are in an area or situation where it is safe to do so. We teach participants a saying, locks, lights, out of sight as a way for people to remember to lock the doors, turn off the lights, and hide if an active shooter were in their school, said Lt. Murphy. "As for parents of young children, it is impossible to be with your . Remind your teens about the dangers of texting and how concentrating on driving not only keeps them safer but other people on the road as well. In this video, I go over a simple driving lesson on paying attention to your surroundings. At freeway exits, do not drive alongside other cars. Forklift Pedestrian Safety Tips. For example, when you reach across a table to grab a pencil, you use proprioception to know how much. I was part of the response team during the active shooting at Sikh Temple in 2012, said Lt. Murphy. Taking fifteen minutes to disconnect can help you to be more connected during the rest of the day with life offline. Inform the driver of the situation. Being able to communicate with others your perception of the risks is a vital part of the awareness strategy. Keep in mind though that being alert extends beyond reading safety signs. A driver may decide to exit suddenly or swerve back onto the freeway. 57 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<94B21628CD0A253A4D83801808161FB6>]/Index[49 25]/Info 48 0 R/Length 60/Prev 70674/Root 50 0 R/Size 74/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream TikTok video from tarryncarla (@tarryncarla): "Keep safe and be aware of your surroundings at all times. #safety #southafricatiktok #crimeprevention #bevigilantatalltimes #fyp #femalesafety". I asked the clerk for someone to escort me out. Do not be afraid to yell for help if they don't stop. Login is Emory's authentication tool for logging into multiple web systems and applications. Dont be predictable. International Journal of Cognitive Informatics and Natural Intelligence, The newsletter of the ISBAs Standing Committee on Government Lawyers. Such awareness permits some hazards to be avoided and others to be safe-guarded against. Dont use put earbuds or headphones in your ears while youre outside is also a way to quickly increase your awareness from your senses. I know this sounds extremely difficult, but I can assure you that it is not as hard as you think. Senses: Practice engaging all your senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste) to their fullest extent to increase your personal safety. The most common thing that reduces aware is distraction. Use your mirrors. Don't stop to aid motorists by the side of the road. No one can predict disaster, and situational awareness can be the determining factor between life and death. Situational awareness is a critical foundation for successful decision making in most situations that you can be put in at work. 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]. Safety beings with awareness. In this toolbox talk, you can cover ways to develop better safety awareness and how to practice observation skills on the job. The temporary loss or lack of situational awareness is a casual factor in many accidents. The trigger of this habit would be . Situational awareness, in laymans terms, is your ability to process your surroundings and notice any changes in those surroundings. Situational awareness refers to being aware of what is happening around you, where you are in relation to other people and things, and what potential threats there may be. Increase the distance between yourself and this person the amount of distance depends on the situation, but five or six feet can allow you some reaction time if they become an active threat. Watch for hazardsLook beyond the vehicle ahead of you. No. It can make you more aware of your surroundings, it can give you a different perspective on things, and can also make you see risks. Look inside your vehicle before you get in, especially when it has been parked in a parking terminal or lot. Stopping work to make adjustments- Sometimes things do not go as you planned and thought they would. 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. Regularly inspect your normal work area. The recent news of the murder of the Texas District Attorney and his wife in their home makes everyones heart skip a beat and wonder. There are hazards and risks every day on the job site and to keep yourself and your coworkers safe you have to be aware of them. The best way to avoid complacency is to consciously remind yourself to stay alert. 7. Also check your mirrors when you are preparing to turn into a side road or driveway and when you are stopping to pull into a parking space. Always stay within a group when possible. However, after enough practice it becomes second nature. Where needed call in your Corporate Safety Manager. Always remember that inmates listen to every conversation that corrections officers and staff have. While wearing headphones, can you hear foot steps behind you? Reading body language is a huge factor in training your perception of your surroundings. hWmo9+YHF]th%@ PV{0`pp8b(/HZQ`4p%&h^ `N'dHT^9-|Qug>>I)%A86pF~ yJME!7Rin>AxY1 You probably already do this, it is called defensive driving. Relaxed awareness is not tiring, and it allows you to enjoy life while rewarding you with an effective level of personal safety. It is a smart way to cultivate safer practices in your everyday life. A lot of information is out there about you. Be aware of locations and situations which would make you appear vulnerable to crime, such as alleys and dark parking lots. This principle can also be applied to travel routes, and being conscious of obstacles, choke points, alternate routes, and so on. 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. Even if there is not currently a dangerous situation or nobody has been injured, if there are elements that could lead to either of these things, the person in charge should be made aware so that they can take the appropriate action. We use cookies to manage and improve your website experience. They were just trained on Friday, and I was there running the drill with them on Monday.. U.S. Pat. In today's market, having a poor safety record can mean all the difference between winning or losing a deal. Carrying a self defense weapon turns you from a passive observer to an observer that has the tools to fight back. The extra weight makes it harder to stop. Even listening to music can be a distraction and a safety hazard. Schools and businesses MUST be prepared for an act of terrorism and they MUST act quickly when faced with it. Engage your workers with modern technology and content that they can easily consume. 16. However, when was the last time there was a drill to ensure every person in the establishment knows what to do? It is easy to get wrapped up in the task at hand and lose track of your surroundings. Emergency situations can and often do escalate quickly due to panic. Reduce your speed. These people walk into telephone poles. Disconnecting from the cyber world will be most beneficial if you concentrate on being more present and meditating each . Check your mirrors often. If youre already thinking about it, then you are more likely to do it in a defensive scenario. In an emergency you do not have a lot of time to take in your surroundings. Griffith D, and FL Greitzer. High alert can be scary, but at this level you are still able to function. Advocates Check the blind spots. Exits:Always be aware of your exits, and have an exit strategy. 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. *bgv&bT!zv~[a ? 10,433,143. Be aware of your blind spots. If the answer is no, offer to help create one or start a campaign to get a safety response plan in place with the help of your local law enforcement as soon as possible. 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. Once your business or organization has a response plan, Guard911 mobile panic button apps offer a convenient place to store it where its immediately available with the touch of an icon on the users phone. Be prepared for rapid changes in road conditions and traffic flow. Always be aware of your surroundings, vigi-lant of activity around you and attentive to individuals approaching, walking purposely and with confidence. Not playing on your phone might improve your chances of thwarting an attack. 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. Tell your customer, supervisor, and workmates. Drive either ahead of or behind the other vehicle. Can you see what others are seeing? You need to practice this level of awareness when you are driving on icy or slushy roads.