Building Safety Habits to Combat Human Error
It’s no secret that nearly 90% of workplace incidents result from human error. While this statistic might be concerning, it also highlights an opportunity for improvement. Human error stems from common states like rushing, frustration, fatigue, or complacency. However, thanks to neuroscience and behavior change strategies, we can build habits that make safety a natural part of our daily routine. Through repetition, safety can become second nature, helping reduce the frequency of workplace accidents caused by human error.
95% of Workplace Mistakes Come From Ourselves
Larry Wilson, the founder of SafeStart and YOUFactors, conducted extensive research across industries and found that 95% of workplace accidents occur due to our own actions. This discovery offers both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is recognizing that most accidents stem from our own mistakes, not from faulty equipment or external factors. The opportunity, however, lies in our ability to change these behaviors by adopting safety-focused habits.
When we experience states such as fatigue or frustration, we’re more likely to make mistakes. The good news is that if human errors are within our control, we have the power to reduce them.
Understanding the 4 Critical Errors
To reduce accidents caused by human error, we need to first understand the common critical errors that occur in the workplace. These errors include:
Eyes not on task: Being distracted and not fully aware of your surroundings.
Mind not on task: Mentally wandering, which leads to lapses in focus.
Being in the line of fire: Unintentionally putting yourself in harm’s way.
Losing balance, traction, or grip: Physically placing yourself at risk due to inattention or haste.
These errors are often triggered when workers are in mental states such as rushing or fatigue. Recognizing these patterns is the first step in reducing their frequency.
4 Techniques to Minimize Human Error
There are several tried-and-true methods that can help you mitigate human error. SafeStart refers to these strategies as "Critical Error Reduction Techniques," which are rooted in neuroscience and designed to help employees adopt safer work habits.
Observation and Social Learning: One of the most effective ways to avoid repeating mistakes is to observe others. Social learning, which involves observing and imitating the behaviors of those around us, plays a crucial role in safety. By watching how others handle risky situations, we can adopt safer practices without having to experience the risks ourselves.
Reflecting on Near Misses: Close calls can be a treasure trove of learning opportunities. Instead of ignoring these near misses, take time to reflect on what went wrong and how you can prevent it from happening again. This process helps train your brain to identify risky behaviors before they lead to actual incidents.
Self-Triggering: Self-triggering is a technique that involves recognizing when you’re in a high-risk mental state—like rushing, frustration, or fatigue—and taking a moment to reset. Pausing to recalibrate when you feel yourself slipping into these states can significantly reduce the chances of making a critical error.
Developing Safe Habits: Habits form through repetition. The more frequently you engage in safe behaviors, the more likely they are to become automatic. With practice, these actions lock into your brain, making safety a reflex rather than something you consciously think about each time you perform a task.
How YOUFactors Supports Habit Formation
YOUFactors is a digital tool designed to help employees turn these safety techniques into everyday habits. The platform sends regular reminders and encourages reflection on near misses, helping employees internalize safety practices.
For instance, YOUFactors might prompt you to pause and assess your mental state before starting a task. Are you rushing? Feeling frustrated? This self-check can help you adjust your behavior before making a critical mistake. In addition, the platform emphasizes learning from near misses, ensuring that you understand what went wrong and how to prevent similar issues in the future.
By using YOUFactors, employees can keep safety top of mind throughout the workday, making it easier to adopt and maintain safe habits that reduce human error.
Reducing human error in the workplace isn’t about achieving perfection—it’s about building habits that make safety automatic. By focusing on practical techniques like self-triggering, learning from near misses, and practicing observation, employees can drastically reduce the chances of making critical mistakes. Digital tools like YOUFactors help reinforce these behaviors, ensuring that safety becomes part of your everyday routine, whether at work or at home.
