New Jersey S.T.R.O.N.G. HRO Safety Behaviors and Tools: O = On Task
There are six safety behaviors that align with New Jersey STRONG’s name and mission:
S – Speak Up for Safety
T – Think Critically
R – Reliably Communicate
O – On Task
N – No Harm
G – Got Your Back
The fourth safety behavior – On Task – emphasizes the importance of paying attention to detail and being in the moment during our busy day-to-day work activities. This safety behavior is designed to eliminate skill-based errors – the unintended slips and lapses that can happen when we perform familiar, routine acts without even thinking, as if we are on autopilot.
What should we do? Pay attention to the task you are completing to avoid unintentional skill-based errors.
Why should we do this?
- To prevent slips or lapses from occurring when the hand is operating before the head.
- To reduce the chance that we will make an error when we’re distracted, under a deadline, or stressed.
How can we work towards achieving this goal?
A helpful way to stay on task is to use the STAR error-prevention tool.
Stop: Pause for 1 to 2 seconds to focus our attention on the task at hand.
Think: Consider the action you’re about to take.
Act: Concentrate and carry out the task.
Review: Check to make sure that you performed the task correctly and that you got the correct result.
It may be difficult at times to stop and think before completing a task. You may want to draw a star on something you see or use often as a reminder to use the STAR error-prevention tool. For instance, you could draw one on your pen or coffee cup, or keep a poster or sticky note with a star in your office to help remind you.
Try using the STAR method to complete the two activities below:
Count the F’s in the image below one time and one time only – DO NOT go back and count them again.
Did you find all six? Most people, if they read it one time through, miss the F’s in the words “of” and come up with only three.
Taking a bit more time to use the STAR error prevention tool, and stopping 1 to 2 seconds at the end of each line or even each word, would have helped you receive a better result and probably would have allowed you to have found all six F’s.
Here is another chance for you to practice using the STAR tool:
Did you read the directions? In many cases, individuals skip over steps of their task and miss important details. In this case, you only needed to complete the first subtraction problem.
Studies have shown that using the STAR tool can reduce your chances of making an unintended mental slip or lapse by more than 10 times.