be aware of your surroundings safety talk

Whether youre a citizen or law enforcement officer, adopting these five safety tips daily which really boil down to situational awareness and proactive diligence empowers you and forms habits that may help save your life or someone elses in the case of an emergency. This principle can also be applied to travel routes, and being conscious of obstacles, choke points, alternate routes, and so on. Try these personal safety drills at work or in public to form good habits and determine your best response to potential threats. Keep jewelry out of sight; don't flash jewelry; turn rings around so the stones don't show. Being crowded by a tailgater. This is a state in which you are relaxed but are also watching other cars on the road and looking ahead for potential hazards. 5. A lot of information is out there about you. In these situations, it is essential to maintain a high level of situational awareness to stop accidents and near misses. Observation has always been an important part of human survival. Situational awareness may protect us. Know Your Exits. Manage - If you feel that the operation is unsafe, stop working. The primary element in establishing this mindset is first to recognize that a threat or hazard exists. 57 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<94B21628CD0A253A4D83801808161FB6>]/Index[49 25]/Info 48 0 R/Length 60/Prev 70674/Root 50 0 R/Size 74/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream What to Look For when Buying a Stun Gun [2020 Buying Guide], How Martial Arts can improve discipline in Children and Adults. Avoid hauling weight that exceeds the counterweight of the forklift. Reduce your speed. Allow enough space between you and the vehicle ahead to give yourself an out. Mistakes cause collisions. Should you have questions about how this pertains to your job talk to your supervisor or foreman. hWmo9+YHF]th%@ PV{0`pp8b(/HZQ`4p%&h^ `N'dHT^9-|Qug>>I)%A86pF~ yJME!7Rin>AxY1 It has to be a conscious effort for everyone to have a 360-degree view of situations and show others the importance of doing so. Ensure warning signage is posted where . You should allow a four-second or more cushion when: If you follow too closely and another driver cuts in front of you, just take your foot off the gas. Accidents don't come with a warning - prioritize safety in the workplace and avoid preventable injuries. Would you go through it anyway? Pay close attention during job training sessions. Takeaway: Get into the habit of identifying the emergency exits at the stores you visit, hotels you are staying at and public buildings you enter. Both Gay and Klinger noted that "stop, drop and roll" is a classic life skill students learn as part of safety lessons in school. Take safety and emergency drills seriously. Be aware of your surroundings. As a safety measure, also look over your right and left shoulders again while backing. You probably think you already do this, but being intentional about locating exits and doors, paying attention to the people around you, and practicing simple habits like looking over your shoulder in a parking lot before you get into your car should be part of your daily routine. Do not be a tailgater! How is it different from what you see? I recently had a personal experience here. Moak says this is a great practice and encourages everyone to be aware of their surroundings when leaving a mall or grocery store. Do they talk with you and then everyone can see? Your brain goes into auto-pilot and you slowly stop consciously processing your surroundings. Raymond manufactures innovative electric lift trucks that deliver a lower total cost of ownership. Neo-Symbiosis: The Next Stage in the Evolution of Human Information Interaction. International Journal of Cognitive Informatics and Natural Intelligence 1(1):39-52. If something is in your path, you need to see it in time to stop. Jamey Noel. iPods). Play the what if game. Carrying a self defense weapon turns you from a passive observer to an observer that has the tools to fight back. What if this was happening to the person in the car next to you? 4. Blind spots can hide a motorcyclist, a vehicle or a bicyclist. Tragedy can strike anywhere at any time, but being observant and thoughtfully watching your surroundings can make all the difference in a potentially dangerous situation. If you work alone or after business hours, keep the office door locked. So put the phone down. The driver behind you wants to pass. Our knowledge, experience and education enables us to understand what is going on around us and helps us to determine if it is safe. Vigilance is not paranoia, its just understanding and being able to process whats going on around you its a skill and a habit that takes practice something that shouldnt be ignored. Lt. Murphy. The habit of staying calm in chaotic situations takes practice. Again, I know it can be boring walking around without music, but keeping your ears wide open can help your situational awareness. 8. Safety is the key to happy living, A little care can prevent much grieving. 16. If there are no uniformed people, look for grandparents, women, and people with children who may be able to help. Make sure you understand all the policies and procedures before you start a new job. Now, that may sound harsh, but to say that its not going to happen here is giving yourself permission to not be aware of whats around you.. However, we do know this man is acting like a mugger. Be aware of your blind spots. A short poem on safety. We teach participants a saying, locks, lights, out of sight as a way for people to remember to lock the doors, turn off the lights, and hide if an active shooter were in their school, said Lt. Murphy. This is the level that induces an adrenaline rush, a prayer and a gasp for air all at the same time. Be aware of pedestrians in your surroundings. If you are doing this to make tasks safer for you and others and to get the task done more efficiently you are showing situational awareness. A basic breathing practice that can be used throughout the day, especially during times of stress, is the Four Square Breathing Technique. So tell the police as much as you can; no fact is too trivial. Change lanes and allow the tailgater to pass you, or slow down to allow enough cushion between you and the car in front of you. Drive far enough behind the car in front of you so you can safely stop; especially in inclement weather, give yourself plenty of reaction time. It is easy to get wrapped up in the task at hand and lose track of your surroundings. Technology draws us in and makes it harder to observe the vital things around us. BY looking with your ears, you simply are following the environment and what it wants you to see, rather than everything else that may matter that is going on simultaneously. Lose the tailgater as soon as you can. However, when was the last time there was a drill to ensure every person in the establishment knows what to do? 9,905,117. Situational awareness is being aware of what is happening around you in terms of where you are, where you are supposed to be, and whether anyone or anything around you is a threat to your health and safety. Situational awareness is often split into three elements: These three elements basically mean you not only need to understand what is going on around you, but also be able to communicate and act on situations that put you at risk. When walking, stay in well-lit areas and walk in numbers, if possible. Carefree yet cautious. Panicking adds to the chaos and breeds knee-jerk reactions, causing people to abandon all protocol and enter a fight-or-flight mentality. Take one more look to the left in case there is a vehicle or a pedestrian you did not see the first time. This does not just apply to buildings, but can be practiced in cars, public transportation, elevators, and even in outdoor environments. This means avoiding the distractions mentioned earlier. Watching your surrounding can reduce the risk of vehicle collisions, dropping objects, injuries from falling objects and many other accidents. Your aggressor will be surprised at your response, take advantage of that. Take in the whole scene If you only look at the middle of the road, you will miss what is happening on the side of the road and behind you. Take a quick glance in your mirrors. Be aware of your surroundings and observe all signs, especially those for maximum permitted floor loadings and clearance heights, and check for any overhead objects before lifting or stacking loads. If you spot a situation in your immediate vicinity that could pose a threat, such as a blind corner on a sidewalk, ask yourself, If there was a threat behind that corner, how would I react? 1. It has been said, your gut feeling is not just a guess, your gut feeling is your body reacting based upon knowledge or experience before your mind can fully process the information it is receiving. Be alert of your surroundings. Vq&e-t\U>?tql/;EhYt+h\geB7YZ U[>8%F](]d[mwil2 !b~J3u8.Y1C_O Increase the distance between yourself and this person the amount of distance depends on the situation, but five or six feet can allow you some reaction time if they become an active threat. As an example, imagine walking down the street and you observe a shifty man with his hands in his pockets hiding in a dark alleyway as he watches you walk toward him. Go to the store on a different day. Getting situational awareness right early on is important when you are working on a construction job site. Pirelli Cinturato Strada All Season Review Is It the Tire for You? How we read a situation can be influenced by many things such as the type of information we have been given, our own experience and distractions in the workplace. For you to effectively engage in situational awareness, to make logical decisions, and look to the future with a strategic focus, the subconscious must be engaged and assessed. Let us take the example of you repeatedly hitting the snooze button and look at it as a bad habit you want to break. Often there is so much 'going on' in your work environment, or you become so absorbed in your own thoughts, that you fail to spot those things that could pose a serious threat to your health and safety. Tech Support Look inside your vehicle before you get in, especially when it has been parked in a parking terminal or lot. Basic Safety Tips for Women: Speak Up. To avoid tailgating, use the three-second rule: when the vehicle ahead of you passes a certain point such as a sign, count one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three. Counting these numbers takes approximately three seconds. Just because you are at home, in your world, does not mean you can let your guard down. Proceed With Caution A warehouse is a busy place, with many different things going on at once. Such awareness permits some hazards to be avoided and others to be safe-guarded against. To provide you with the Top 5 Tips for Staying Safe, Guard911 consulted safety expert, Lt. Brian Murphy, a 23-year former Oak Creek, Wisconsin police officer who trains law enforcement officers on situational awareness techniques and strategies, as well as educating citizens on what it means to be aware of your surroundings.. endstream endobj startxref Most rear end collisions are caused by tailgating. Here are some of my take-aways (expanded with some of my own thoughts and comments) that may be useful to you: 1. Simply put, in order to have situational awareness you have to be open to a variety of perspectives and insights. However, after enough practice it becomes second nature. Los Angeles, CA 90095-1364, Phone: (310) 825-1491 The more space you allow between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead, the more time you will have to see a hazard, and stop or avoid that hazard. You can, and should, carry all the tools and weapons you need. Continually check them for hazards. There is a tendency to overlook hazards in familiar work settings. Following these quick tips can improve your awareness. TikTok video from tarryncarla (@tarryncarla): "Keep safe and be aware of your surroundings at all times. #safety #southafricatiktok #crimeprevention #bevigilantatalltimes #fyp #femalesafety". It is still a defensive, not offensive, tool in your arsenal. Dr. Michael Pittaro. Check the blind spots. 2007. Keep all electronic devices in an inside jacket pocket. Street Precautions Be alert to your surroundings and the people around youespecially if you are alone or it is dark. Drive strategically. %PDF-1.5 % Here are some ways you can increase your awareness and have a higher level of security while shopping or dining out. You dont know. Continental ExtremeContact DWS Review Does It Meet Expectations? Safety beings with awareness. Practice this in public places, such as seating in restaurants, waiting rooms, or shopping centers. The proper safety gear in your workplace could be reflective gear, fire-retardant clothing, industrial workwear or something as simple as nonslip shoes. Everywhere you go, people have their heads down while looking at their phones, which means they cant be looking up to notice whats going on around them. No. Also check your mirrors when you are preparing to turn into a side road or driveway and when you are stopping to pull into a parking space. Guard911 is here to help. Be aware of your surroundings and watch for small mistakes. Do you have time and distance to respond? Login. This means you shouldn't be looking down at your phone, and you should also avoid wearing headphones. Peripheral Vision: Attempt to focus on something while also observing whats happening at the edges of your vision. You should aim to avoid falling into this auto-pilot mode while going about your daily life. Be aware of who you are in the electronic world. Just because it is safe one day does not mean it will be safe every day. One of the most effective ways to do this, short of enrolling in formal classes or self-defense training, is by practicing everyday situational awareness. You should always be looking around and aware of your surroundings. How can you improve your situational awareness? Apathy, denial and complacency can be deadly. Senses: Practice engaging all your senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste) to their fullest extent to increase your personal safety. 15. Taking proper precautions covers a wide variety of areas. By taking a few simple precautions, you can reduce the risk to yourself and also discourage those who commit crimes. Your instincts exist to protect you it is always better to be overcautious than to ignore warning signs that turned out to be legitimate. Make sure you communicate until everyone involved understands what is going on. Whenever possible, travel with a friend. First, they should try to find a person in uniform, like a police officer, security guard, or store employee. STOP - Engage your mind befor eyour hands. In the same vein as minimizing distractions, you want to identify threats before they become threats. Respond to medical emergencies properly. 4. 4. Make sure they are away from your vehicle and in full view before moving your vehicle. 2. situational awareness for self-defense purposes. hbbd``b`Z$C`]$ ba`bd8 RH9q' `= You should learn to look at things with a 360-degree focus, not just from your view. By being mentally prepared, you can have the upper hand. Correct Potential Hazards. When you are backing out of a parking space: Check in front and behind the vehicle before you get in. Avoid driving directly alongside other vehicles on multilane streets with or without traffic in the opposite direction. We'd love to show you how in a demo, and get you started on a free trial. To learn more about the family of Guard911 apps with the only Hero911 officer network of 65,000+ nationwide law enforcement officers, contact our helpful team today for your no-obligation conversation. Remind them to be aware everywhere they are. You see a bus, school bus, or a placarded vehicle at railroad crossings. In this safety talk, we will go over what situational awareness is and ways you can improve on it in your daily lives including at work. The best defense against the active shooter crisis in our country is to reduce the notification time and response time of our law enforcement. In the city, 1015 seconds is about one block. Assessment of your working environment should occur continually, but especially in the following situations: Why is situational awareness important to us? This widens your monitoring range for detecting anything out of the ordinary. Be aware of your surroundings Your coworkers won't be able to hear your ideas or take you seriously when there is a pile of dirty clothes in the corner behind you. Because of the size and power of the forklift, operators should stop and wait for pedestrians to clear the area before proceeding along their route with caution. No more shuffling through papers or tracking down a handbook thats often locked away in a filing cabinet. When another driver makes a mistake, you need time to react. Not playing on your phone might improve your chances of thwarting an attack. Tell your customer, supervisor, and workmates. Its also affordable, extremely easy to use, and proven to save lives. "But we're able to talk to kids about 'stop, drop and roll,' and it doesn't cause the chaos, fear and . That perpetual image could include thinking to push your shopping cart into an attacker or using your stiletto heel to fend off an attack. Your email address will not be published. Be aware of your surroundings. Do not use or wear anything that will impede your vision or hearing (i.e. Be aware of your surroundings pay attention. Stay focused at all times. Avoid situations that could force you to suddenly use your brakes. When you report all the facts about a crime, it helps the police assign officers in the places where crimes are occurring or where they are most likely to occur, and your report may help prevent a crime from reoccurring. Prioritizing the critical nature of active shooter training and drills is part of that preparation. Toyo NanoEnergy A29 Review Is This the Tire for You? Do you know if your school, university, workplace, or place of worship has a response plan and training program for active intruder incidents or other emergencies? So even if you are distracted while driving, your mind knows which roads to take and can get you there. The best course of action would be to err on the side of caution and avoid directly passing in front of the man. It's being aware of what is going on around you in terms of where you are, where you should be, and what in your surroundings could potentially be a threat to your health or safety. Ask questions about certain job scenarios and even role play if it helps you get a better understanding of what you need to do. Consider, whether you need to tell someone or react. All these activities might help prevent an attack. In this video, I go over a simple driving lesson on paying attention to your surroundings. Leave a little earlier. I was part of the response team during the active shooting at Sikh Temple in 2012, said Lt. Murphy. Keep work areas clean and orderly. Go to a different store. If your team sees you doing it then they are likely to follow. Stay flexible in your schedule, and don't say NO to unexpected adventures. These vehicles must stop at railroad crossings; so, slow down early and allow plenty of room. Teach your children danger signs. Watch for large vehicles because they can gather speed very quickly. Situational awareness is a critical foundation for successful decision making in most situations that you can be put in at work. However, being aware of your surroundings could save you from ever even having to use the weapon. The fourth level of awareness is high alert. Offensive precautions, or those that allow you to more easily defend yourself, include keeping at least one hand free with your keys or self defense tool (not cellphone) in that hand. A consistent and structured daily toolbox talk will save lives and reduce injuries. Protect your Back: Utilize walls and other barriers to protect your back and sides and maximize your field of vision, taking care not to back yourself into a corner. This article will delve into some of the key health and safety considerations when it comes to plumbing work. Also, do not be afraid to speak loudly to someone so that you can get the attention of others nearby. Be aware of your surroundings. OFFICE 4114 E BROADWAY AVE | SPOKANE, WA 99202, 1145 BROADWAY PLAZA, STE 1340 | TACOMA, WA 98402. Disconnecting from the cyber world will be most beneficial if you concentrate on being more present and meditating each . Careers This website is to be used forinformational purposes only. Don't allow loud distractions to stop you from keeping your eyes on your surroundings, rather than one direction. In this toolbox talk, you can cover ways to develop better safety awareness and how to practice observation skills on the job. If you are a new driver or a teen, then enrolling in a drivers education class can be beneficial. You are relaxed and enjoying your drive, but are still watching for road hazards, maintaining a safe following distance and keeping an eye on the behavior of the drivers around you. Practice devising alternate methods of escape if your primary exit becomes compromised. Proprioception refers to your awareness of your body and limbs in your surrounding space. Always be aware of your surroundings. An even better offensive precaution is to keep a perpetual mental image of every potential weapon and attack vector as you about your daily life. people pushing trays of items in a cafeteria), be alert when using stairs or ladders, while walking along corridors etc. An effective strategy requires that everyone be on board and the best way to achieve this is to be able to communicate with each other. Situational awareness, in layman's terms, is your ability to process your surroundings and notice any changes in those surroundings. Keep your belongings in front of you and hold close to your body with both hands. Allow other coworkers to give you ideas of what could and could not work in situations. If the answer is yes, great! Be aware of locations and situations which would make you appear vulnerable to crime, such as alleys and dark parking lots. Know where your kids are. I know this sounds extremely difficult, but I can assure you that it is not as hard as you think. What about someone screaming for help? Avoid using an electronic device while walking or performing other tasks. Raken's toolbox talk app makes it easy to choose from a pre-loaded library (or upload your own), then schedule and assign topics for any project. While wearing headphones, can you hear foot steps behind you? 3. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Also be aware: "Familiarity breeds contempt" 1. Staying safe goes hand-in-hand with being observant. Then, if they spot something out of the ordinary that could be a threat or hazard, they can dial up to a state of focused awareness and take a careful look at that potential hazard or threat. Stop and Pretend: If you feel like you are being followed, either on foot or in a vehicle, stop and turn around, pretending as if you went the wrong way. new year! This situational awareness process also demonstrates the importance of all of us being familiar with our environment and the hazards that exist there. Inmates have 24/7 to watch your behaviors and body language, so always assume a threat is imminent. Instead of looking over your shoulder, place your back against a surface if possible to remove the possibility of someone getting behind you or in your blind spot. Ultimate Guide to Construction Management, perception of the elements in the environment. Public officials have records of where you live for tax and property ownership purposes. This doesnt mean you should be paranoid or stop enjoying your time out in public or at work, its simply about practicing and mastering situational awareness a skill that could save your life or someone elses. That feeling doesnt only happen while driving. You can pick up lots of information up just from listening. The temporary loss or lack of situational awareness is a casual factor in many accidents. Body language plays an extremely important role in how you are perceived by others. U.S. Pat. As living conditions get better for everyone around the world, however, we tend to become less aware of our surroundings. Be aware of your surroundings. If your car breaks down, open the hood and attach a white cloth to the car antennae. You can hit your brakes and keep your car under control. Keep your car doors locked and windows closed while in or out of your car . *bgv&bT!zv~[a ? Educate yourself concerning prevention tactics. Watch for things about to happen, like a ball rolling into the street or a vehicle door opening. The police need the eyes and ears of all citizens. I did not write this with the intent of making you afraid of everything and discouraging you from leaving your house. This does not just apply to buildings, but can be practiced in cars, public transportation, elevators, and even in outdoor environments. Keep in mind though that being alert extends beyond reading safety signs. Although a purse-snatcher's intent is to steal the purse, your personal safety may depend on not clinging to it.

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