Toolbox Talk - Hazard Reporting

Toolbox Talk - Hazard Reporting

Do you consider hazard reporting to be really important?

Accidents often happen because nobody has considered that something is dangerous. About 50 people are killed in work accidents in New Zealand every year, and many more are seriously injured.

Most people understand that the reporting of hazards is extremely important. However, for whatever reason, most of us don’t want to or can’t be bothered doing it.

Why Not?

• You don’t think the hazard is really that bad and it’s not worth the time and effort to report it.
• You don’t see the hazard as something that might actually hurt someone.
• You see a co-worker doing something in an unsafe way but, you don’t like ‘rocking the boat’ and would feel uneasy speaking up.
• You are busy and really don’t have time to stop and report things right now.
• I’ve found a hazard and fixed it so there is no point in reporting it.

So is hazard reporting important?

Absolutely!!

Imagine if you didn’t do anything about a hazard or something you have seen.
Word spreads around the site that your mate Johnny has just had an accident. He’s in an ambulance heading to A&E, sounds like he may have broken his leg. He stepped straight into an open penetration. They think it was in that small room off the side of the main corridor. Apparently, the light had blown and he couldn’t see the hole.

A memory plays through your head. You know exactly where they mean. It was that same room you were in this morning when the bulb blew. You figured everybody knew about that penetration. [She’ll be right] you thought as you headed off to smoko...

Whilst there are many reasons not to report a hazard, there are even better ones to report them.

Look out for each other on and off the job.

Remember team! Safety is a habit!