Safety Moment - The Power of Weak Signals in Safety Management
Episode 861
PreAccident Investigation Podcast
Show Notes
Hi everybody and welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment. I'm your host, Todd Conklin.
Have you ever crossed a street and pushed the crosswalk button, only to find the signal changes too quickly for you to safely cross? This common issue is an example of poor signal strength. In today's episode, we delve into the concept of signal strength in human factors and its importance in workplace safety.
We'll explore how identifying weak signals—like unclear instructions or confusing signs—can help you diagnose problems before they escalate into significant events. By listening to workers and addressing these issues, you can strengthen your system and enhance overall safety.
Join us to learn how to spot weak signals and improve signal strength, making your workplace safer and more efficient.
That's the safety moment for today. Have as much fun as you possibly can, learn something new every single day, and for goodness' sakes, be smart.
Show Transcript
100:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,760
Music.
2
00:00:15,603 --> 00:00:18,183
Hi everybody and welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment.
3
00:00:18,283 --> 00:00:21,523
I'm your host, Todd Conklin. So have you ever crossed a street?
4
00:00:21,743 --> 00:00:23,563
I'm sure you have. That's kind of a dumb question.
5
00:00:23,823 --> 00:00:26,943
Have you ever gone to a street corner and pushed the crosswalk button?
6
00:00:27,143 --> 00:00:30,663
Now that button's got a name. Actually, the official name for that in traffic
7
00:00:30,663 --> 00:00:33,203
safety parlance is a BEG button.
8
00:00:33,383 --> 00:00:37,663
B-E-G button. BEG button. Have you ever crossed a street, pushed that BEG button,
9
00:00:37,743 --> 00:00:41,183
started to cross, and the little indicator on the other side,
10
00:00:41,283 --> 00:00:46,043
the walking man and the stopping man, started flashing well before you could
11
00:00:46,043 --> 00:00:48,043
even get halfway across the street.
12
00:00:48,303 --> 00:00:53,623
In fact, it would be impossible for a normal person walking a normal speed to
13
00:00:53,623 --> 00:00:58,303
ever officially cross the street based upon the timing of that signal.
14
00:00:58,743 --> 00:01:02,083
That problem is called signal strength.
15
00:01:02,243 --> 00:01:06,363
And in human factors, we need to make sure that the signals we send our workers,
16
00:01:06,363 --> 00:01:10,383
in fact, align with the tasks the worker has to do.
17
00:01:10,603 --> 00:01:16,283
One of the ways to identify poor signal strength is to listen for weak signals.
18
00:01:16,423 --> 00:01:23,323
Listen for ways people tell you that the process causes them some kind of operational pain.
19
00:01:23,783 --> 00:01:31,903
Your job, like a doctor, is to go out and diagnose problems before they become events. fence.
20
00:01:32,203 --> 00:01:36,143
And one of the ways to do that, because it's impossible to predict the future,
21
00:01:36,223 --> 00:01:37,743
we can't do that worth a crap.
22
00:01:37,943 --> 00:01:44,263
But one of the ways to do that is to look for weak signals that indicate bad signal strength.
23
00:01:44,763 --> 00:01:49,383
A door that you can't tell if you push or pull is bad signal strength.
24
00:01:49,743 --> 00:01:53,923
A sign, open valve slowly, is bad signal strength.
25
00:01:54,303 --> 00:01:58,963
All of those are weak signals that potentially help us understand that there's
26
00:01:58,963 --> 00:02:03,803
a problem in the system, and if we can identify that problem before it has consequence,
27
00:02:04,203 --> 00:02:08,123
then that allows us the ability to actually make the system stronger.
28
00:02:08,523 --> 00:02:11,683
And when the system's stronger, the system's safer.
29
00:02:12,023 --> 00:02:18,503
Your job as a manager, as a leader in your organization, is to listen to the
30
00:02:18,503 --> 00:02:23,543
workers and ask them where the signal strength is not correct.
31
00:02:23,683 --> 00:02:26,263
Where are those weak signals in the system.
32
00:02:26,663 --> 00:02:32,023
And when they help you identify them, your commitment to them is to make it better.
33
00:02:32,703 --> 00:02:35,423
That's the safety moment for today. I hope you've enjoyed it.
34
00:02:35,603 --> 00:02:37,763
It's the power of weak signals.
35
00:02:38,343 --> 00:02:42,523
Have as much fun as you possibly can. Learn something new every single day.
36
00:02:42,583 --> 00:02:45,043
And for goodness sakes, be smart.
37
00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:55,584
Music.
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Transcript
1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,760 Music. 2 00:00:15,603 --> 00:00:18,183 Hi everybody and welcome to the Pre-Accident Investigation Safety Moment. 3 00:00:18,283 --> 00:00:21,523 I'm your host, Todd Conklin. So have you ever crossed a street?
4 00:00:21,743 --> 00:00:23,563 I'm sure you have. That's kind of a dumb question. 5 00:00:23,823 --> 00:00:26,943 Have you ever gone to a street corner and pushed the crosswalk button? 6 00:00:27,143 --> 00:00:30,663 Now that button's got a name.
Actually, the official name for that in traffic 7 00:00:30,663 --> 00:00:33,203 safety parlance is a BEG button. 8 00:00:33,383 --> 00:00:37,663 B-E-G button. BEG button. Have you ever crossed a street, pushed that BEG button, 9 00:00:37,743 --> 00:00:41,183 started to cross, and the little indicator on the other side, 10 00:00:41,283 --> 00:00:46,043 the walking man and the stopping man, started flashing well before you could 11 00:00:46,043 --> 00:00:48,043 even get halfway across the street.
12 00:00:48,303 --> 00:00:53,623 In fact, it would be impossible for a normal person walking a normal speed to 13 00:00:53,623 --> 00:00:58,303 ever officially cross the street based upon the timing of that signal. 14 00:00:58,743 --> 00:01:02,083 That problem is called signal strength. 15 00:01:02,243 --> 00:01:06,363 And in human factors, we need to make sure that the signals we send our workers, 16 00:01:06,363 --> 00:01:10,383 in fact, align with the tasks the worker has to do. 17 00:01:10,603 --> 00:01:16,283 One of the ways to identify poor signal strength is to listen for weak signals.
18 00:01:16,423 --> 00:01:23,323 Listen for ways people tell you that the process causes them some kind of operational pain. 19 00:01:23,783 --> 00:01:31,903 Your job, like a doctor, is to go out and diagnose problems before they become events. fence. 20 00:01:32,203 --> 00:01:36,143 And one of the ways to do that, because it's impossible to predict the future, 21 00:01:36,223 --> 00:01:37,743 we can't do that worth a crap.
22 00:01:37,943 --> 00:01:44,263 But one of the ways to do that is to look for weak signals that indicate bad signal strength. 23 00:01:44,763 --> 00:01:49,383 A door that you can't tell if you push or pull is bad signal strength. 24 00:01:49,743 --> 00:01:53,923 A sign, open valve slowly, is bad signal strength. 25 00:01:54,303 --> 00:01:58,963 All of those are weak signals that potentially help us understand that there's 26 00:01:58,963 --> 00:02:03,803 a problem in the system, and if we can identify that problem before it has consequence, 27 00:02:04,203 --> 00:02:08,123 then that allows us the ability to actually make the system stronger.
28 00:02:08,523 --> 00:02:11,683 And when the system's stronger, the system's safer. 29 00:02:12,023 --> 00:02:18,503 Your job as a manager, as a leader in your organization, is to listen to the 30 00:02:18,503 --> 00:02:23,543 workers and ask them where the signal strength is not correct. 31 00:02:23,683 --> 00:02:26,263 Where are those weak signals in the system. 32 00:02:26,663 --> 00:02:32,023 And when they help you identify them, your commitment to them is to make it better.
33 00:02:32,703 --> 00:02:35,423 That's the safety moment for today. I hope you've enjoyed it. 34 00:02:35,603 --> 00:02:37,763 It's the power of weak signals. 35 00:02:38,343 --> 00:02:42,523 Have as much fun as you possibly can.
Learn something new every single day. 36 00:02:42,583 --> 00:02:45,043 And for goodness sakes, be smart. 37 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:55,584 Music.