Key Safety Behaviors

Safety is and will always be the industry’s primary focus, and the workers who serve on the front lines of our operations play an essential role in ensuring safe work practices and preventing workplace incidents.  Everyone has a duty to work in a safe manner and must make safety a part of every task.

Below are key safety behaviors that workers should always remember when carrying out their work tasks. 

Printable Resource
 

Remembering the Safety Basics

Safety Comes First

  • Safety always comes first in every task being performed. 
  • Achieving operational performance goals matters very little if an employee gets hurt in the process.
  • All employees have a personal obligation to assure the safety of themselves and those around them. 
  • Safety and safe practices should always be forefront when carrying out your job functions.

Be Aware of Potential Hazards and Life Saving Actions

  • Be aware of the safety hazards that can cause serious injuries or fatalities within your work environment and the actions you can take to minimize their exposure. 
  • Know and continuously review the IOGP Life Saving Rules and Process Safety Fundamentals (or your company’s own set of life-saving actions). 
 

Use Stop Work Authority

  • STOP WORK at the jobsite if you think the working conditions or behaviors are unsafe. 
  • STOP and ASK QUESTIONS when in doubt about the safety of any operations. 
  • Ensure the raised safety issues are resolved and it is safe to resume the work with risk-based controls in place.
  • If you are discouraged from exercising the “stop work authority” or are penalized for doing so, they should report this action to management immediately.
 

Lookout for Short Service Employees (SSE)

  • SSEs need an extra set of eyes (mentor) looking over their shoulder every step of the way.
  • Know who the SSEs are on your team and ensure that they are appropriately supervised.
  • If you are an SSE, 
          Let your team know. 
          There is no shame in being an SSE.
          Everyone was an SSE at some point. 
          ASK QUESTIONS if you are unsure of the task and/or its potential hazards! 
 

Pause & Prepare Before Every Task

  • It is essential for workers to pause and take a few minutes to prepare before starting each task.
  • During this Pause and Prepare time, workers should:
           Review the job plan
           Verify readiness – look and identify potential hazards of the task
           Ask themselves what is different
           Confirm that control measures are in place to minimize hazard risks
           Conduct a final check before starting the task 
  • Industry tools are widely available for use:  IOGP Stop Work Checks