PSA: THE BIGGER PICTURE
to point a finger, but to understand more about the working environment so that safety can be improved for all. While incident report relates to negative events, it is ultimately a positive thing. This purpose should be clearly explained to the respondent in the instructional text. Blame culture is the largest barrier to effective report, but in the end, it’s only a matter of perception. Framing the report as blame-free and adopting this tone throughout the text is an important first step in de-pressurising the situation. If a respondent understands that the information they provide only serves to improve the working environment, and will not result in the allocation of blame, they will be more comfortable and less defensive in completing the form which will then encourage a more thorough response. In addition to the tone, the actual content of the form can be curated to produce the most accurate response. Remembering the specific details of an event is extremely important, but surprisingly difficult. This act of remembering carries a large cognitive burden for the respondent, especially if they’re emotional or stressed. This difficulty in remembering a complex event can result in the report missing valuable pieces of data. However, the respondent can be given retrieval cues to help them access memories related to the event. For example, asking the respondent to think about the environment in which the event or near miss took place, the materials involved or the work activity going on at the time can help them access memories related to the event. Asking these additional questions helps the respondent remember essential information relating to the occurrence - information that might have remained dormant had the form
only asked “what happened”? Asking about the environment of the event also helps uncover systemic, managerial and environmental underlying causal factors which are notoriously difficult to capture in incident reports. Managers have a tendency to neglect the fact that human behavior is always influenced by the environment in which it occurs. This tendency to focus on individual failings and human error, rather than situational factors, ultimately disservices the employee and organisation. Suppressing issues in the environment and working culture that may have contributed to a near-miss might, when left unchecked, result in an occurrence of an adverse event. Whether it’s asking about the adequacy of the work space, the level of light, or the time pressure associated with the job etc - a consideration of these factors is essential in the report form. Near-misses and minor incidents offer an opportunity to identify potential hazards in the working environment before any major incidents occur. However, there is only a singular chance and limited time to collect this important information. To this end, it is in the best interest of everyone in a producing organisation to have the most well-developed incident report procedure possible. By optimising these forms and incorporating the research mentioned above, we can create better personal awareness for the practitioner and better procedure; procedure which ultimately protects those doing the work, so they can carry on doing it. TPi www.psa.org.uk
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