Experienced, safety-minded workers usually incorporate safety procedures as second nature, according to one expert. But the changing environment can throw some curves.
Nathaniel Miller, Schindler Elevator Corp. Senior Regional EHS Manager, told EHSToday, that safety has psychological, behavioral and situational components.
Even highly competent employees have to be aware of the evolving situation, he says.
That's where mindfulness comes in.
Being on autopilot during the work day is typical, especially as people perform routine tasks. However, Kris Corbett, national director of on-site occupational health and safety for Wellness Coaches USA, told Professional Safety, that awareness of the present moment is a safer mental mode. By focusing on the present moment, workers can be more aware of signs of injury, addressing minor problems before they become serious.
For example, repetitive injury can sometimes be addressed before it becomes serious if workers are aware that there is a better way ergonomically to performa task.
Focus and present moment mindfulness can reduce slips, trips, and falls since it increases situational awareness, Corbett says.
To increase mindfulness, workers can spend five minutes before their shift focusing on one thing at a time. For example, first focus on breathing or maybe sounds in the room. Even 30 seconds of focus exercises can increase awareness and improve safety.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.