Be aware of escape routes for emergencies and post the police and fire department numbers near telephones. Recognizing hazards is an important part of keeping you and your co-workers safe . Ensure warning signage is posted where . Where needed call in your Corporate Safety Manager. Do you know if your school, university, workplace, or place of worship has a response plan and training program for active intruder incidents or other emergencies? One of the best ways to become more aware of your surroundings is to practice identifying the objects around you. Everything you need is already primed and ready for delivery. 49 0 obj <> endobj Last but not least do not assume that just because you told someone about a risk or a correct procedure that they heard you or they agreed with you. Take a different route to work. Scan: Most people automatically scan new situations or environments, but dont always focus on the most useful information. Using an effective drain cleaner can help prevent blockages that can lead to plumbing problems down the line. Pay close attention during job training sessions. Drive either ahead of or behind the other vehicle. This does not just apply to buildings, but can be practiced in cars, public transportation, elevators, and even in outdoor environments. Do they talk with you and then everyone can see? Do not use or wear anything that will impede your vision or hearing (i.e. Continually check them for hazards. Your brain goes into auto-pilot and you slowly stop consciously processing your surroundings. Having situational awareness can keep you and your coworkers safe. Instead of looking over your shoulder, place your back against a surface if possible to remove the possibility of someone getting behind you or in your blind spot. While wearing headphones, can you hear foot steps behind you? I was part of the response team during the active shooting at Sikh Temple in 2012, said Lt. Murphy. It is this panic induced paralysis that concerns us most in relation to situational awareness. Reading body language is a huge factor in training your perception of your surroundings. Have an exit plan. In this toolbox talk, you can cover ways to develop better safety awareness and how to practice observation skills on the job. There are a lot of blind spots, corners, turns, and on the equipment itself. Be aware of your surroundings and watch for small mistakes. Smelling smoke, chemicals, or gas might tell you that there is a dangerous situation. If there are no uniformed people, look for grandparents, women, and people with children who may be able to help. 4. The best way to be safe is to know your surroundings and pay attention to everything and everyone around you. Be aware of your surroundings pay attention. What about your friends? Lose the tailgater as soon as you can. If your team sees you doing it then they are likely to follow. 5 Tips to Stay Safe While Welding. Mentally prepare yourself, believe and know that you can protect yourself and your family if you need to. Understand and manage fleet and asset maintenance data and costs with iTRACK. "As for parents of young children, it is impossible to be with your . Did you leave yourself enough room to maneuver away? 6. What if the driver of the car in front of you slams on his brakes? First, notice your surroundings. The last level of awareness, comatose, is what happens when you literally freeze at the wheel and cannot respond to stimuli, either because you have fallen asleep or, at the other end of the spectrum, because you are petrified. Personal safety begins with an individuals awareness to their environment no one can defend against danger they couldnt see coming. Below are some tips that can improve your situational awareness. We hope these tips can be of value to you as 2019 begins, and we wish you a happy (and safe!) Don't leave cash or valuables at the office. 5. Turn and look over your right and left shoulders before you begin backing. Wonder could this happen here to me to my family? Watching your surrounding can reduce the risk of vehicle collisions, dropping objects, injuries from falling objects and many other accidents. A lot of information is out there about you. This space cushion will give you room to brake or maneuver if you need the space. Preparing properly for them and taking safety seriously are essential actions to save lives and mitigate damage. My office recently participated in a safety training class. . When you are backing out of a parking space: Check in front and behind the vehicle before you get in. 2023 Arrowhead General Insurance Agency, Inc. CA License #0699809, How you can prevent business fraud at your company, Steps to prevent winter property damage to roofs, Employers, help workers prevent worksite fatigue [infographic]. This means that everyone's situational awareness is individual and potentially different. Play the what if game. Look inside your vehicle before you get in, especially when it has been parked in a parking terminal or lot. In the city, 1015 seconds is about one block. Exuding an aura of confidence, awareness, and capability, regardless of how you actually feel, can help broadcast to any threats that you are an undesirable target, and increase your personal safety. Of course the most important factor in reading body language is just noticing the persons body. Make safety a revenue generating part of your company through increased productivity and save thousands of dollars avoiding expensive injuries, lawsuits, and claims. When another driver makes a mistake, you need time to react. A new year is often a time of taking stock: re-evaluating ones accomplishments, goals, and personal habits both the good, and the bad. Exits:Always be aware of your exits, and have an exit strategy. Do not take out a wallet on the street, if asked for money. However, being aware of your surroundings could save you from ever even having to use the weapon. This is the level that induces an adrenaline rush, a prayer and a gasp for air all at the same time. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by activity such as talking on your cell phone, listening to music or reading Try to travel with others, walk in well-trav- Watch yourself when you would be most vulnerable down the hall to the bathroom which is tucked way back in the corner or in the parking lot when no one else is around. When you think the work environment has changed since your last time there. Always be aware of your surroundings #WorkSafe #SafetyFirst. -Be aware of your surroundings -Keep your cell-phone charged and with you at all times -Use good judgment on social media before publicly sharing information or a location. How SchoolGuard Panic Button Helps Protect 6500 Students, Guard911 & Lt. Col. Grossman on Stopping Killers. OFFICE 4114 E BROADWAY AVE | SPOKANE, WA 99202, 1145 BROADWAY PLAZA, STE 1340 | TACOMA, WA 98402. This article will delve into some of the key health and safety considerations when it comes to plumbing work. Contrary to popular belief, situational awareness is a skill you can learn with enough practice. Relaxed awareness is not tiring, and it allows you to enjoy life while rewarding you with an effective level of personal safety. Personal Space: If someone is crowding you, seems suspicious, or is displaying threatening body language, scan them for subtle signs of violent intent or a hidden weapon. You probably already take precautions in your daily life. Trust your gut. For our purposes well focus on situational awareness for self-defense purposes as it is a very important self-defense skill. Keep It All Clean. This principle can also be applied to travel routes, and being conscious of obstacles, choke points, alternate routes, and so on. You dont dare take your eyes off the road or let your attention wander. Whatever you do, do not downplay the importance of the drill or neglect to pay attention to how procedures are carried out as you may be the one who needs saving or could potentially save another life. 1. And again, remind them about instincts: If they don't have a good feeling about a certain person, they should approach . I did not write this with the intent of making you afraid of everything and discouraging you from leaving your house. Here are some of my take-aways (expanded with some of my own thoughts and comments) that may be useful to you: 1. Many of these situations can involve your health, your safety, and your job performance. Does everyone have a copy of the response plan readily available if an event were to occur? During the drill, we knocked on doors and people answered them! Examples that we see every day include: Talking or texting on a smart phone; Walking around listening to music on ear phones; Daydreaming; Maintaining good awareness of your surroundings helps you stay safe. Let us take the example of you repeatedly hitting the snooze button and look at it as a bad habit you want to break. So, the question becomes, what can we do to be safer? While situational awareness may not seem like a big deal to you it can help you on a job site. As living conditions get better for everyone around the world, however, we tend to become less aware of our surroundings. Also check your mirrors when you are preparing to turn into a side road or driveway and when you are stopping to pull into a parking space. Many drivers follow too closely (tailgate) and are not able to see as far ahead as they should because the vehicle ahead blocks their view. Basic Safety Tips for Women: Speak Up. So, go out there, do your job as a government attorney and keep safe. Use proper fall protection equipment and 100% tie-off when working in elevated positions. Often there is so much 'going on' in your work environment, or you become so absorbed in your own thoughts, that you fail to spot those things that could pose a serious threat to your health and safety. Do not rely on traffic signals. Falken Ziex ZE-329 Review Should You Get this Tire? Be aware of who you are in the electronic world. 1. Be aware of your surroundings Your coworkers won't be able to hear your ideas or take you seriously when there is a pile of dirty clothes in the corner behind you. Dont fear, there is still hope. Safety beings with awareness. What about members of the response team, including law enforcement were they able to carry out the proper procedures successfully? If you participate in any type of social media, are your settings the most secure they can be? This is one of the easiest ways to increase your awareness. When walking, stay in well-lit areas and walk in numbers, if possible. 2. It is still a defensive, not offensive, tool in your arsenal. Remind them to be aware everywhere they are. Griffith D, and FL Greitzer. You cannot be aware of your surroundings on the warehouse floor if you're focused on your phone. Practice devising alternate methods of escape if your primary exit becomes compromised. 7. 5. This technique is done as followed: Inhale the breath. Understanding Your Surroundings While Driving, refer to the Basic Speed Law in the Speed Limits section. Emergency situations can and often do escalate quickly due to panic. This calms the body and declutters the brain so you can react appropriately. This means you shouldn't be looking down at your phone, and you should also avoid wearing headphones. 57 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<94B21628CD0A253A4D83801808161FB6>]/Index[49 25]/Info 48 0 R/Length 60/Prev 70674/Root 50 0 R/Size 74/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream The load should be carefully checked to ensure it's suitable, undamaged and stable for the forklift - avoid lifting anything that isn't safe . TikTok video from tarryncarla (@tarryncarla): "Keep safe and be aware of your surroundings at all times. #safety #southafricatiktok #crimeprevention #bevigilantatalltimes #fyp #femalesafety". Reclaim your calendar, quit searching for your next safety meeting. Being aware of potential hazards is the best way to turn an incident into a near miss. Consider, whether you need to tell someone or react. In this safety talk, we will go over what situational awareness is and ways you can improve on it in your daily lives including at work. High alert can be scary, but at this level you are still able to function. Choose a product which is designed specifically for use on toilets, sinks, bathtubs and showers in both . Be prepared. Correct Potential Hazards. About Every time we do a task, our mind creates a script. Follow a regular housekeeping schedule. Second, if anything does happen, you'll know where you can run for help. Prioritizing the critical nature of active shooter training and drills is part of that preparation. Report all suspicious persons and activities to the proper authorities (office manager, building security, law enforcement). The proper safety gear in your workplace could be reflective gear, fire-retardant clothing, industrial workwear or something as simple as nonslip shoes. Here are some ways you can increase your awareness and have a higher level of security while shopping or dining out. You should always be looking around and aware of your surroundings. Proceed With Caution A warehouse is a busy place, with many different things going on at once. Only use your devices after youve determined you are in an area or situation where it is safe to do so. The first level, tuned out, is similar to when you are driving and are engrossed in thought and arrived somewhere in your vehicle without even thinking about driving there. Cars, motorcycles, bicyclists, and people that may be in the road by the time you reach them. First, stop talking so you can be aware of your surroundings rather than verbally reacting. When traveling at night always book a taxi or get a lift with someone you trust. Carrying a self defense weapon turns you from a passive observer to an observer that has the tools to fight back. Keep your head on a swivel looking for potential hazards. Situational awareness is the ability to identify, process, and understand what is happening around you, while thinking ahead to prevent or mitigate potential safety incidents. Drive far enough behind the car in front of you so you can safely stop; especially in inclement weather, give yourself plenty of reaction time. Stay safe this spring break by following safety tips from the Institutional Access and Compliance Office. Quotes about Awareness of Surroundings 19 Picture Quotes 5 Written Quotes We are gifted with freedom, but with that freedom comes the reality of the unknown and the responsibility to be aware of our surroundings and on guard against those who would do us harm. U.S. Pat. It is important to note that situational awareness, being aware of ones surroundings and identifying potential hazards and dangerous situations, is more of a mindset than a skill. You should aim to avoid falling into this auto-pilot mode while going about your daily life. Avoiding complacency can help increase your perception of your surrounding. Look up occasionally to re-scan your surroundings and make note of any changes. Careers In these situations, it is essential to maintain a high level of situational awareness to stop accidents and near misses. These are all useful questions to start the conversation around training drills. Don't stop to aid motorists by the side of the road. Be prepared for rapid changes in road conditions and traffic flow. Arrowhead General Insurance Agency, Inc. - Program for Sovereign Indian Nations. This website is to be used forinformational purposes only. Situational awareness: Preparing your team for the unexpected. In the 21st century your biggest distraction is your smartphone. It is important that each individual is looking out for his or her own safety as well as looking out for their workmates. Failure to observe your surroundings before welding can drastically increase the risk of fire . Moak says this is a great practice and encourages everyone to be aware of their surroundings when leaving a mall or grocery store. For our purposes we'll focus on situational awareness for self-defense purposes as it is a very important self-defense skill. Be alert of your surroundings at all time - Teens can be especially guilty of being oblivious to their surroundings. Stay flexible in your schedule, and don't say NO to unexpected adventures. How Situationally Aware People Create a Resilient Organization 4. These vehicles must stop at railroad crossings; so, slow down early and allow plenty of room. Make sure if your employer provides training on situational awareness that you attend because you can always improve yourself. If youre already thinking about it, then you are more likely to do it in a defensive scenario. At freeway exits, do not drive alongside other cars. The vast majority of communication is done through body language, not spoken language. Backing up is always dangerous because it is hard to see behind your vehicle. I was going into a store. 9,905,117. But, the points that I took away from the training session were that you can protect yourself. People typically operate on five distinct levels of awareness: The basic level of situational awareness that should be practiced most of the time is relaxed awareness, a state of mind that can be maintained indefinitely without all the stress and fatigue associated with focused awareness or high alert. Go to a different store. No. With that in mind, the full extent of potentially dangerous body language is beyond the scope of this article. Just because you are at home, in your world, does not mean you can let your guard down. This is how your strengths and opportunities for improvement can be identified. Avoid the temptation to check your phone by turning it off or leaving it in your locker. First, notice your surroundings. 14. Make eye contact with people when walking. How we read a situation can be influenced by many things such as the type of information we have been given, our own experience and distractions in the workplace. When your range of vision is limited, get creative about ways to expand it and give yourself an advantage practice utilizing store windows, car windshields, or even other peoples sunglasses to detect threats you wouldnt be able to see otherwise. To ensure drivers are aware of their surroundings, they should be free from distractions, follow the speed limit, and keep their eyes on the road at all times. I told him I didnt have any. What Pocket Knife does MacGyver Use to be Prepared For Everything? It is a skill that can save lives, maybe even your own. Carefree yet cautious. Any time you come to a place where people may cross or enter your path or one line of traffic meets another, you should look to the left and right sides of your vehicle to make sure no one is coming. In an elevator, be mindful that there is a distress alarm on the control panel. When beginning work on a new project/contract/customer location. Why is this important to a government attorney? Always remember that inmates listen to every conversation that corrections officers and staff have. What about someone screaming for help? If you pass the same point before you finish counting, you are following too closely. That perpetual image could include thinking to push your shopping cart into an attacker or using your stiletto heel to fend off an attack. We use our situational awareness to make decisions at home and at work. If you work at a school, on any type of campus, or if your workplace needs an active shooter plan, Guard911 apps are a one-of-a-kind active shooter mobile safety alert technology that facilitates adoption of these safety tips. We'd love to show you how in a demo, and get you started on a free trial. Its also affordable, extremely easy to use, and proven to save lives. Carry your wallet inside your coat, or in a front pocket. Not playing on your phone might improve your chances of thwarting an attack. In other terms, this could mean simply instructing workers on the safest way to do things or telling your supervisor about health and safety hazards you see on a job site. The following topics are some simple ways to increase your situational awareness. Electronic Distractions: Whether its staring down at your phone or listening to music, using electronic devices can seriously impair your ability to be aware of what is going on around you. News & Media Body language plays an extremely important role in how you are perceived by others. In this post, Ill discuss a number of techniques and tips that can help you learn how to increase awareness of your surroundings. Safety is a way of life and should be thought about so often that it becomes second nature.