Four Mindsets That Cause Accidents

Job site safety is an ever-present issue that is a constant threat in any environment and any walk of life. The greatest way to prevent accidents is to train people on how to reduce the risk to zero or how to put controls in place that will limit the possibility of an accident. Workplace mishaps can be dramatically reduced with the correct mindset and attitude by recognizing four common errors that open the door to injury:

1) Rushing

Employees often feel constant pressure to complete tasks as quickly as possible so that they can move on to the next task or finish the day early. Rushing reduces the quality of workmanship and increases the chances of not following the correct safety steps to complete tasks. Accidents increase on Fridays, holiday weekends, or when jobs are behind schedule. It’s important to remind employees that working safety is the priority, even if it means finishing the job later.

2) Frustration

Frustration is a mindset that almost everybody experiences at some point in life. Having the right tools to manage frustration and turn negatives into positives is key to being able to avoid accidents and injuries. Creating a workplace that prevents frustration from developing is key. Employees can get frustrated at poor procedures, bad communication, wrong or insufficient materials, and problems at home. Not all situations can be managed and controlled, but hiring employees who can control their emotions is a valuable practice for any company.

3) Fatigue

Fatigue greatly reduces production and performance. A tired driver is said to be as dangerous on the road as a drunk driver, which illustrates the dangers of fatigue. It is very important to identify when a worker is fatigued to take the correct course of action. A great danger in hotter climates is heat stress, which causes fatigue and can result in death. Having heat stress safety plans is an essential training topic for all workforces. To avoid fatigue, employees should not overwork or work overly long hours. Corporations have to set realistic deadlines and attainable goals for employees.

4) Complacency

Complacency can be the most dangerous mindset that results in an injury or accident. The first step to an accident involves the false belief that experience makes you invulnerable. Accidents can happen to anybody at any time and one’s sense should always be finely tuned to each situation’s risks. A false sense of security is the result of poor training and following bad practices, which leads to accidents. Management needs to be quick to intervene when boredom results in complacency. These mindsets can cause or contribute to critical errors which increase the probability of injury:

• Eyes not on task

• Mind not on task

• Walking into the line of fire

• Losing balance, traction, or grip

To learn how you can avoid these common workplace mindsets that cause many site accidents, reach out to our construction safety professionals. We’ll discuss your safety concerns to show you how to decrease injuries and keep profits up!