#Human factor
Error governance and diluting the human factor over operations. Installing barriers offsetting cognitive illusions or lethargy. Features ergonomic error-proofing (Poka-yoke) wiping away the desire to cut corners.
How to Avoid a Fatal Error in a Critical Situation and What Does Practice Have to Do With It?
Individual 15-minute emergency drills at the workplace (DRA Workshop). The trainer simulates an emergency, and the worker physically performs the necessary actions, followed by developmental feedback.
The Psychology of Habits and Workplace Safety: Why "Autopilot" Isn't Always Safe
Automaticity at work helps save brain energy, but in manufacturing, it leads to an employee ceasing to be aware of their actions and failing to notice safety violations. The article examines why repeatedly performed actions become fixed at the subcortical level and how they become dangerous. The author proposes staff retraining tools through visual anchors, attention-engagement rituals, and habit reframing to reduce risks.
Psychological Readiness for Emergencies: Why Even Experienced Employees Freeze Up
The article explains why, in the event of a real threat, classic instructions do not save people from panic and stupor due to the specific features of how the brain's limbic system works. The material examines practical training techniques, including role-playing and micro-trainings, which help turn knowledge into automatic reactions. These approaches make it possible to build psychological readiness for emergencies and teach employees how to act correctly under stress.
From Fear to Responsibility: Changing Attitudes Toward HSE Through the Psychology of Influence
Traditional occupational health and safety training through intimidation and punishment no longer works, as it causes resistance and yields only temporary results. The article examines how to transition to a sustainable safety culture and conscious employee responsibility using the principles of Robert Cialdini's psychology of influence. The author explains how using social proof, management's personal example, and feedback helps make compliance with rules an internal norm.
Gratitude
The article describes the author's 14-year journey in occupational health and safety, which began despite the dissuasions of an experienced colleague. Despite the heavy routine of the first months and the complexity of the work, the specialist managed to understand the essence of the profession and fall in love with their work. The personal story reminds us of the value of saving human lives and the need to be able to count one's victories rather than defeats.
Reducing Incident Rates Using the Video SOP Module
Implementing a system of Standard Operating Procedures as short video instructions (video SOPs) accessed via QR codes on equipment. This practice aims to reduce the human factor by converting complex text regulations into clear visual action algorithms.
A Safety Memo or an Injury? You Decide
Most violations of occupational health and safety rules occur not out of malicious intent, but due to ordinary forgetfulness and haste of employees. A one-page occupational health and safety memo helps quickly recall necessary information and reduce the number of errors in the workplace. In the article, the author talks about the benefits of this working tool and shares the experience of its implementation at planning meetings and safety minutes.
Debunking the Top 5 Myths Preventing Injury-Free Work
The article examines misconceptions in occupational health and safety that cause organizations to struggle with the consequences of incidents instead of eliminating their systemic causes. The author demonstrates how to move from punitive control to a culture of openness, employee involvement, and collaborative work on processes. The material offers practical steps to create a system where risk prevention, dialogue, and continuous improvement play the main role.
Partners
A story from the practice of an occupational health and safety specialist describes the investigation of an unusual accident involving two electricians in a compressor shop. Due to the accidental activation of a switch by a jacket hung on it, one of the workers injured a finger on the rotating impeller of an electric motor. Using a real-life example, the material shows how haste and inattention during investigative actions led to a repeated similar injury to his partner.
Seryoga "The Pistol"
The story tells of Sergey, a slinger who was forced to change his profession as an installer due to an occupational injury to his right hand. During the construction of a military facility on the Franz Josef Land archipelago, he set off to accompany a new driver who did not know the road to the construction site. Sergey's attempt to indicate a right turn with a gesture using a crooked finger led to an erroneous maneuver and the vehicle driving off into a ravine.
The Wasteland
The author's personal story connects a 1989 childhood memory of his uncle's death on the railway with his appointment to the position of an occupational health and safety specialist years later. Having studied the archival investigation materials, he learned the real circumstances of the tragedy — the foreman's haste, the lack of lighting, and a dead walkie-talkie during unloading. The publication clearly demonstrates what severe consequences result from neglecting workplace safety rules.
The Brain Loves Stories, Not Instructions: Turning Dry Safety Rules into Living Knowledge
Dry cardinal rules of occupational health and safety are often perceived as formal bureaucracy and are quickly forgotten, since the human brain absorbs meaning and emotions, not dry instructions. The article examines the approach of specialists at Bystra, who suggest explaining safety through life stories, empathy, and real examples. Such a presentation engages the emotional centers of the brain and helps workers perceive the rules as personal protection and a guarantee of safety.