Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
3.5 SUMMARY
An important element of our survival kit is risk sensitivity. We get it
for free, but unfortunately, this sensitivity is programmed for stimuli
that are only partly present in our work. The most important one we
can use daily is extra sensitivity for all new things and situations.
Other danger sensitivities have to be learned. We have three main
ways of learning. The first is the classical conditioning that connects a
neutral stimulus with a fear-evoking stimulus. The second is operant
conditioning, learning by experiencing the effect of handling a stimu-
lus. Model learning is the third one, learning by seeing others act. The
trial and error aspect of operant learning makes it less suitable for
safety learning whereas model learning is most powerful. That
s the
reason why social context is very important in generating more safe
behavior at work. The biggest enemy of safety is habituation, gradu-
ally getting used to (dangerous) stimuli just by being confronted with
them. Employees who start in a new job have a high but unfocused
risk sensitivity. Although focus grows, the general level of sensitivity
decreases.
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TIPS FOR TRANSFER
Tip 1: What Needs to Be Programmed in a Safety Conditioning?
Take one process (task) or one physical situation (for example, a part
of a plant). Define what stimuli need to be conditioned so that an
employee has all the needed risk sensitivity to do a safe job.
Later, in Chapter 7, we will see how a safety buddy can use this list
in coaching a new employee to become sensitive to possible risks.
Tip 2: Safety at Work, Safety at Home
As mentioned in the general introduction, safety management involves
a paradigm shift. Risk sensitivity has to be incorporated into the dee-
pest parts of our brain, into our perception.
For some areas of life (for example, a dress code: tie at work, jeans
in the weekend, and naked in the sauna), it is possible to use different
sets of standards in different situations.
Other than our clothes, we cannot change our risk sensitivity when
we leave work. It is a conditioned process. Although some dangers are
