Safety Bulletins

Complacency and Underestimation!

Smaller, day-to-day things that will hurt and harm!

A few years ago an emergency paramedic, stunned by what he observed as risks in our workplace, could not get over the way workers appeared to underestimate the hazards they were dealing with day to day! Yes, dealing with hazards every day, complacency and underestimation can creep in!

Dealing with large trees, heavy and powerful machines etc. we could become complacent and not pay full attention to some of the less obvious hazards in our work environment. Whether it is a pinecone falling from 30 meters or a branch under tension never underestimate the so-called smaller hazards that could cause serious harm!

Medical Treatment Injury: While waiting for the electronic choker to release automatically, a poleman moved in closer to release it manually. The choker suddenly released, bounced up from the log, and hit the poleman in the mouth.

Minor Injury: While thinning to waste and cutting through the undergrowth a small sapling, under tension, flicked up striking the worker in the face, cutting his lip.

View this article in Safety Bulletin 101