Consapevolezza situazionale

When it comes to hazard recognition, humans are great at identifying active hazards – things like moving objects, changes in temperature, odors, and sounds. Those sorts of hazards appeal directly to our senses. 
 
Recognizing static hazards can be an entirely different story. Stationary heavy equipment, an overhead door, gas cylinders stored in the corner of the shop. We’re constantly surrounded by those types of hazards, which don’t appear as much of a threat.  
 
Most of the time they aren’t, but static hazards like these can and do cause serious harm.  
 
Recognizing static hazards – and ensuring they don’t inadvertently become active hazards – requires a different sort of hazard awareness. One way to describe that kind of awareness is “situational awareness”.
 
By definition, situational awareness is the ability to accurately perceive what is happening around you, understand what it means, and anticipate what could happen next. That kind of awareness means understanding where stored energy exists, and understanding what sort of event would allow that potential energy to become kinetic. 
 
One exercise that might be helpful to you – and your crew – is to take time to identify and discuss forms of stored energy that exist, in the environment that they work in. 
 
Things like:
 

• Mass on a grade 
• Cables/components under tension
• Suspended loads
• Pressurized Systems
• Flammable substances/Thermal energy
• ......

• Can parking brakes fail?
• Has anyone ever seen a torsion spring break?
• What is our procedure for barricading work areas?
• When must a whip check be used?
• What are some common ignition sources, around here?
• ......

 
Keeping your good followers thinking about these sorts of hazards is a great way to help exercise and enhance their situational awareness.