Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The coach is able to use his coaching skills. He understands the dif-
ference between an older brother and a parent. He can act without for-
mal power and earns respect with his seniority. A safety buddy guides
the newcomer. He can be both supportive and demanding. He can
even be very straightforward if rules are about to be trespassed. He is
the first one to demand that the newcomer observe the safety rules.
7.4 WHAT ARE THE ACTIVITIES OF A SAFETY BUDDY?
The safety buddy plays a crucial role in the induction of each new col-
league in a job. From a Brain Based Safety perspective, a
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induction involves all processes in work. The safety elements of a pro-
cess should be introduced as soon as the newcomer starts to under-
stand the processes. The activity of the safety buddy starts on the first
day a newcomer arrives at work. She accompanies the new colleagues
on a regular basis for a period of one to two years (depending on the
complexity of the processes involved) while working. Usually, when a
newcomer is being taught a new tool or technique, an explanation is
given of how it works, what the problems are that can be solved by it
(why it is being used), what the best way is to use it, how to tell
whether the tool is used well or in the wrong manner, and what can be
done to avoid certain deviations. The safety buddy does the same but
adds to this list where possible risks might be, what actually can go
wrong, what can be done to prevent it, what the safety margins are,
how to discover whether the safety margins are not sufficient anymore
or that something is really going wrong, and what should be done if,
although precautions have been taken, such a risk actually occurs.
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normal
The safety buddy introduces newcomers into work processes and in all
safety related aspects of these processes.
The prefect induction not only involves explaining but also regular
experiencing. The newcomer not only needs to know the risks involved
and how to spot them but also how to act when there is a serious threat.
As explained in the previous chapter, under high stress our brain switches
to a primitive mode. It neglects the participation of the conscious system
and uses the fast nonconscious one. We stop thinking and we just act.
Just acting without thinking is only possible if the behavior is stored
in our nonconscious systems. Behavior will only be stored there if
it is practiced several times and has had the opportunity to become
