Situational Awareness

Keith Holden

Keith Holden has over 30 years experience in the high voltage electrical field. His educational background is comprised of Electrical Engineering Technician from Fleming College and in addition ongoing education including Tap Root Accident Investigation, Safe Start safety training, Measurement Canada Regulations. He...

Situational Awareness

By Keith Holden

We all lead busy lives whether at work or at home, with all the things happening it is sometimes hard to keep focused on our daily tasks. This can distract us from completing these tasks. We must practice our Situational Awareness techniques. Situational Awareness is the ability to perceive, understand, and effectively respond to one's situation. It involves comprehending a given circumstance, gathering relevant information, analyzing it, and making informed decisions to successfully address any potential risks, hazards, or events that might occur. In simple terms, paying attention and being aware of what’s going on around you. No matter what your role is at work or in your personal life, situational awareness is an important key to keeping everyone safe.

Practicing situational awareness will help you remain alert and aware of things like:

  • Keeping an eye on your co-workers at work and what they are doing if they are working with you
  • Using or being aware of heavy equipment and how it is moving
  • Where you are supposed to be (are you out of the line of fire)
  • What you are supposed to be doing
  • Using correct safety procedures for the tasks you are completing
  • Keeping track of any changes on your job
  • Always looking around you (above/below/behind)
  • Using your senses to detect unusual signs or out of the ordinary things (eyes, ears, and nose)
  • Tracking the weather if outdoors

Situational awareness involves three elements which are observation, comprehension, and anticipation. Experience and training play a big role in these elements:

  • Observe what is around you
  • Comprehend the situation or task
  • Anticipate what is likely to occur next from the current situation

There are factors that can reduce your situational awareness that you must be aware of and make an effort to avoid. Some examples are:

  • Stress
  • Rushing to complete tasks
  • Mental or physical fatigue
  • Complacency
  • Poor communication
  • Lack of experience or training
  • Distractions - Daydreaming, loss of focus

Situational awareness needs to be in the forefront in everything we do throughout the day whether at work or away from work. We need to self-check ourselves and increase awareness of our surroundings and actions, for example, when:

  • Starting a new task
  • When you feel complacent
  • Feeling fatigued
  • Mentally distracted or stressed
  • Work or tasks have changed
  • You have an inner feeling something is wrong
  • Performing critical tasks (electrical, working at heights, working in confined spaces)

We all can think of times or examples of situational awareness at work and at home:

  • Not thinking of the task at hand—what you need to do after work
  • Being in the line of fire when operating electrical switchgear
  • Not wearing proper PPE
  • Missing a procedure step

When you are practicing situational awareness you will stop a task and ask questions if you feel something is wrong. For example:

  • Ask a co-worker to wear PPE
  • Stop and fix a hazard to make the job go safely and more efficiently
  • Report hazards or near misses to your supervisor or management to provide future learning opportunities

Part-time safety is not enough. You must have an increased awareness of what is going on around you. You must be able to recognize when you or co-workers are tired, stressed, in the line of fire, conditions have changed, distracted, or in need of training. Recognize the need to respond quickly, communicate effectively, and avoid injury or damage.

Learn to self-check yourself when you notice yourself in one of these states:

  • Rushing
  • Frustration
  • Fatigue
  • Complacency

These states cause or contribute to four injury-causing errors or mistakes:

  • Eyes not on task
  • Mind not on task
  • Moving into or being in the line of fire
  • Somehow losing your balance, traction, or grip

At times there may be a relaxed awareness or complacency on the job. As situations change on the job, you still need to promote situational awareness. There are several ways to self-check yourself:

  • STOP - Plan your job and identify all hazards
  • LOOK - Observe your work area to find potential hazards
  • ASSESS - Evaluate the hazards and make sure you have the proper tools, training, and PPE to be safe
  • MANAGE - Make changes, ask questions, and take the actions you need to continue to work safely

The 5 levels of safety in the workplace are:

  1. Eliminate the hazard - It is the most effective way to control a risk because the hazard is no longer present. It is the preferred way to control a hazard and should be used whenever possible.
  2. Substitute the hazard with a lesser risk - If eliminating a hazard is not possible, substitution is the next control method that should be considered.
  3. Use engineering controls - Engineering controls are methods that will control the hazard at the source, before it comes in contact with the worker.
  4. Use administrative controls - Administrative controls involve developing procedures to ensure the work is conducted in a way that minimizes the hazard.
  5. Use personal protective equipment - Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to anything workers wear to help protect them from workplace hazards.

To increase situational awareness, it must be practiced. Here are some techniques:

  • Learn to pay attention to what is going on all around you, including above, to the sides, and also behind you, and then assessing the tasks you are doing and your work environment. Stay out of the line of fire.
  • Watch for communication from your team or co-workers, which may be verbal, emotional, or physical.
  • Observe all warning, danger, and information signs—they are posted for a reason.
  • Have a questioning attitude. Ask for assistance if you need it, or if it could be helpful.
  • Complacency is a factor in workplace incidents and accidents. Try to think of all tasks or jobs as new and plan them.
  • Avoid distractions - keep your mind on task and do not use electronic devices, including cell phones and headphones.
  • Prevent fatigue. Obtain proper sleep and stop if you feel tired. If driving, pull over for a rest.

Work Safely,

Keith Holden