Here is an easy tool to utilize and pass on to workers today. It doesn’t require a great deal of training and fits perfectly within any safety system an organization has. It is called STAR, stop, think, act, and review. To STAR a job, process, or task is to perform a quick and simple assessment of what the task is, the safety process in place, doing the actual task and a post job review. Think of a basketball player performing a free throw. He takes a breath, lines up his feet, puts his eyes on the target and then shoots at the goal. If he is successful he repeats. If he misses, a quick review will necessitate some corrections. 

Let’s take a task most are familiar with. You have a flat tire on the highway. To get where you are going, this problem needs immediate attention. So, instead of jumping into the task, STAR the task. First Stop. Then, Think. Is the car out of traffic, do you have the necessary tools and knowledge, and can this tire change be performed safely?  With those questions answered, Act. Perform the tire change. Once the task has been completed, Review. What about the task went well? What would you change next time, if anything? How might the task be done differently and what lessons learned would you pass on?

This simple tool, STAR can be applied to the simplest and most complex tasks both on the job and off. It is an easy to remember and an effective tool.

What is your first reaction to the sight of a worker performing a task that puts the worker, or the public, at risk of an injury? It is natural to want to prevent injuries and there is nothing wrong with that.

However just stopping the job, even if the worker agrees, may have lasting negative effects. Indeed it could actually cause the behavior to go underground or perform that task while no one is watching.

When I was a young man working construction, I was instructed to drop my tools, stay off ladders, and make myself scarce because OSHA was on-site. The thought was that they were only here to look for and penalize  workers for getting the job done. No worker, no fine.

This type of “on the job training” indicates a system that underlies, encourages, and supports at-risk behaviors. In some cases these systems can be subtle and difficult to discover. 

I have written a series of articles on workplace safety:
Part 1
Part 2