Larry Wilson, author and CEO, SafeStart, explains the contributing factors to critical errors. (Image source: Canva)

Larry Wilson, author and CEO, SafeStart, explains the contributing factors to critical errors. Read on: 

Welcome back to the Paradigm Shifts series! In the last article we looked at serious injuries, the contributing factors and just how often mind not on task and eyes not on task were involved, or at least how often they were both involved in the serious injuries that have happened to us (almost every one). And if it’s of any comfort, the same questions have been asked to over a million people in 66 countries, so you’re not alone. The same two critical errors that contributed to your serious injuries also contributed to theirs (and mine).

In this article, like in the first four of this series, you will find a couple of new ideas or paradigm shifts that are somewhat counter-intuitive or almost the opposite of what most people think, that we will explore in more depth. We will also look at some practical, extremely cost effective (free) ways to reduce serious injuries 50% or more. But for now, let’s go back to the last article and the importance of those first two critical errors, eyes and mind not on task.

What we found was that for almost all of us, if we exclude sports, eyes not on task and mind not on task were involved in a very high percentage of our serious injuries, whether they were at work, at home, in the community or on the road. But it doesn’t seem quite right (almost misleading) to say that these two critical errors were just “involved”, because we are never trying to get seriously hurt anywhere or anytime! It’s more like these two errors had to happen or that they have to happen at the same time. Otherwise, if we see it coming, we will almost always get the benefit of our reflexes—which, in most cases, will be enough to prevent a direct hit, blind fall or a head-on collision.

This is not to say that these two critical errors by themselves cause all the serious injuries and fatalities. There are always at least two (or more) contributing factors. But quite often those other factors like the type of hazardous energy: electrical, mechanical, thermal and amount or kind of protection vary considerably as you go from burn to fall to motor vehicle accident. Whereas the first two critical errors, eyes and mind not on task—happening at the same time—are involved in almost every one. And since mind not on task is bound to happen if you know how to do something well, there is much more “leverage” or efficiency in getting people to put some additional effort or more effort than they are currently making (none) into improving their safety-related habits: like moving their eyes first, before they move, looking for line-of-fire potential before moving, looking for things that would cause them to lose their balance, traction or grip, etc.

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The qualification is suitable for a variety of road users, including those operating off-road and heavy vehicles. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has launched the RoSPA Level 2 International Award in Defensive Driving, and has been named as an accredited provider of Defensive Driver Training by the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP)

Developed by the RoSPA Qualifications team, the RoSPA Level 2 International Award in Defensive Driving aims to improve a driver’s ability to drive safely and with confidence in whatever environment and conditions they operate in. The qualification is available to organisations whose employees drive regularly for work, on public roads and company premises.

The international qualification in defensive driving will see qualification centres offer defensive driving techniques such as hazard awareness, speed management, and risk assessment. Suitable for a variety of road users, including those operating off-road and heavy vehicles, the qualification ensures drivers understand the legal, cultural, and environmental requirements of driving in their region. They will also be educated on human factors such as distractions, fatigue and driver behaviour, and journey conditions, including driving on different types of road surface and the use of vehicle safety systems.

Penny Brooks, Driver Qualifications portfolio manager, said,

“We are proud to say that RoSPA has been accredited by the IOGP and now provides the oil and gas sector with a qualification that seeks to improve safety and save lives.”

Accidents involving road vehicles are a leading cause of death and injury in the oil and gas sector. Vehicle-related accidents contributed to more than a quarter of worker deaths in the USA’s oil and gas industry from 2014-2019, according to a report from the USA’s CDC, with around 20% of these involving lone workers.

There are many misconceptions around the causes of serious injuries. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Larry Wilson, author and CEO, SafeStart, explains that there are other beliefs or perspectives besides false concepts of danger that are also inaccurate

What causes serious injuries? Not what you've been told...

What if I told you that workplace safety isn't just about being lucky?

In the fourth article of the Paradigm Shifts series, "Skill vs. Luck / Reflexes and SIF’s," we uncover the critical difference between relying on chance and mastering the right skills and keeping up with your reflexes.

This article explains that what really causes the majority of serious injuries isn’t what we’ve been told, and the importance of eyes and mind on task.

So, to help get to the bottom of all this, let’s go back to what has happened to us: Our personal risk pyramid.

Ready to revolutionise your approach to safety? Click below to dive into the full article now:

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About the Author

Larry Wilson is one of the most influential thought leaders in safety. He is the author of SafeStart, an advanced safety awareness training programme, and he provides a different perspective on serious injuries in his two books: Inside Out: Rethinking Traditional Safety Management Paradigms (co-author Gary Higbee) and Defenseless Moments.

Crew Hawk wirelessly monitors hazardous working environments in real-time, tracking individuals and equipment. (Image source: Salunda)

Salunda, a leader in digitised solutions for safety critical industries, has secured a contract to install its ‘Crew Hawk’ Red Zone monitoring solution on a jack-up rig in the Middle East, its first installation on a jack-up rig in the region

Crew Hawk wirelessly monitors hazardous working environments in real-time, tracking individuals and equipment to provide anonymised feedback that focuses on safe operations and minimising risk.
When an individual enters an exclusion or Red Zone, it promptly triggers an alarm, sending notifications to both the individual’s personal locator and the area authority, allowing both parties to take corrective action.

Significant milestone

Alan Finlay, Salunda chief executive, said, “This contract win marks a significant milestone for Salunda as one of several deployments in the Middle East. We are pleased to be partnering with our colleagues in the region to improve safety for staff and optimise performance within a safety-critical industry.

“Crew Hawk has redefined red zone monitoring by reviewing operations in real time and we are excited to be continuing to bring our robust and efficient solution to new markets and regions.”

Crew Hawk has already been used to track workforce assets and provide an additional layer of awareness and alerts to operational plans while working with rig control solutions for customers.