What is situational awareness? – It is being aware of where you are, where you are supposed to be and what is happening around you. Then, more importantly, is there anyone or anything around you that can cause harm to you or others?
Why is it so important? – At our work sites, there can be a lot “going on” or you can get tied up in your own thoughts. Factors that can make us fail to spot things that can be a significant threat to ourselves or others. This temporary lack of situational awareness is a causal factor in incidents.
It is important to understand that everyone needs to take a step back and think about their surroundings and of the potential hazards around them. Even the most experienced people can lack situational awareness, especially when completing tasks that seem mundane or routine.
Improve your Situational Awareness – Get into the habit of regularly pausing to make a quick assessment of your working area. Use your risk assessment tools as a guide and thought provoking tools! This should be done at the start of each task, when a work environment has changed or when working with new people etc.
