Safety Awareness is like almost everything else we do . . . it is learned, not instinctive. We aren’t born with awareness for safety concerns . . . in fact anyone who has a young toddler or grandchild knows this first hand as they see them going around doing unsafe things constantly.

We learn through various means. Some learn by doing, others by watching, some by reading. Others learn by their mistakes or the mistakes of others which is one reason we post and talk about near misses and direct hits that we've had here and at other companies and locations throughout the country.

So how do you know you've developed good safety awareness? Here are some good examples of behaviors that suggest you have good safety awareness:

1. Before you begin a job, you consider how to do it more safely
2. You make sure you know how and when to use personal protective equipment
3. As you work, you check you position to reduce strain on your body
4. While you are working, you become aware of any changes in the area - people coming or going, jobs beginning or ending
5. You start talking with others about safety

Monitor yourself today and see if you've got good safety awareness. If you don't, one of the best ways to gain further awareness is to step back and take a hard look at your or a coworkers actions as they are performing a job. Watch for risky actions. You will learn and if you're watching a coworker . . . share those observations with them to help them go home safely each and every day.