Doing Work Tasks Wrong the First Time

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Doing Work Tasks Wrong the First Time Safety Talk

There is unnecessary exposure to hazards for workers across the country every single day. The list of possible unsafe actions and unsafe conditions employees deal with in their work can be limitless. One scenario that often results in unnecessary exposure to hazards is doing work wrong the first time. Even if a work task is being completed safely, but is being done incorrectly the first time around, whoever has to go back and redo the work will inherently be put at risk for injury just by the mere fact that additional work has to be performed.

Reasons Why Work Tasks are Done Incorrectly

There are many reasons why work is not done correctly the first time or even the second time around. Some reasons to consider:

• Insufficient knowledge
• Lack of training
• Laziness
• Complacency
• Improper instructions
• Change of plans
• Wrong materials or tools

Avoid Mistakes in Your Work

It is important to stop work anytime you have questions about the task you are about to complete or in the process of completing when unsure. Doing work incorrectly will result in a loss of production as well as put individuals at unnecessary risk to redo the work. It may not seem like a big deal for small tasks, but even a simple wrong decision can lead to injury.

A quick example: You are grabbing an order of five gallons of paint for a customer, but you are not sure what brand it is, so you decide to chance it and pick one. After bringing the bucket up to the front of the store, the cashier tells you it is not that brand. You rush back to the warehouse, leaving the other paint bucket in the front. When she does this, she injures her back and misses a few days of work.

Summary

While the example provided here is a simple one, you can see how issues arise when work tasks are done incorrectly, even in a safe manner, the first time around. In construction or manufacturing that involves hazardous processes, the consequences and likelihood of injury greatly increase when work has to be redone. Realize the impact your decisions have, not only on yourself, but your coworkers as well.