Safe Behavior in the Workplace: A Psychologist's Recommendations

Modern science has accumulated an extensive body of knowledge in the fields of occupational, engineering, and social psychology.

Drawing on practical experience in providing psychological support to industrial personnel, we can formulate recommendations aimed at increasing safety mindfulness among frontline workers.

Employees can ask themselves or their colleagues questions designed to build safety awareness during pre-job briefings and throughout task execution:

1. Before starting work:

• "I know how to and am able to (my team knows how to and is able to) perform the upcoming job properly and safely";
• "The planned work involves the following risks or potential errors, and I (my team) will mitigate them in the following ways."

Explanation: The upcoming work procedure is verbally reviewed, the physical and mental state of the personnel is assessed, necessary knowledge is verified, potential errors and risks are discussed, and measures to prevent adverse events are defined.

Recommendation: If these questions cannot be answered or the answer is incomplete, stop the task and take the necessary corrective measures. Once affirmative answers are achieved, proceed to the workstation.

2. At the workstation:

• "I am (we are) in the right place at the right equipment, and it is in the required condition";
• "The sequence of upcoming actions is clear and understood by me (us)."

Explanation: Workers perform a self-check to confirm they are at the right location and the equipment is in its target state, ensuring a clear understanding of the upcoming steps (using a checklist or standard operating procedure form).

Recommendation: If these questions cannot be answered or the answer is incomplete, suspend the task and notify a supervisor to determine the next steps. Once affirmative answers are achieved, proceed with the work.

3. After completing work:

• "I (we) completed the job in the required sequence, and the outcome of my (our) actions matches the initial plan";
• "I (my team) encountered the following errors or inaccuracies, and/or have the following suggestions for improving the process."

Explanation: The proper execution of operations is verified, checklists are marked off, root causes of any errors are identified, and suggestions for improvement are gathered.

Recommendation: Report the results of the completed work and any improvement suggestions in accordance with the established procedure.

Conclusion: These questions help identify and eliminate the risks of unsafe behavior while fostering employee engagement in building a strong safety culture.