Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
involved in that project. People need time to digest big projects. In
complex projects, it is even advised to split the toolbox meetings, so
that the participants can digest the material at their own pace.
4.1.3 Attention
Risk understanding is mostly active on a nonconscious level and guides
people unnoticed safely through a day. An occupied mind will have
more topics to scan. These topics are handled in a parallel manner.
The conscious part of us can contribute to this nonconscious process
by giving it attention from time to time. This attention will place the
task higher on the priority list. If you are worried about the outcome
of a project, you will automatically give more attention to it.
Compare this process with the effect of an agenda for a meeting. If
you receive an agenda in advance, you will give it a cursory glance.
The next time you see it will be when preparing for the meeting and
packing your stuff, then again at the beginning of the meeting, and
finally when the topic is discussed. At each of these moments, a little
attention is given to the topic. The brain can prepare itself, and the
meeting will be more effective. The same process can be used in gener-
ating risk understanding. A few brief moments of attention spread
over time increase the strength of the process. This topic will be
readdressed in Chapter 7 on safety awareness.
4.1.4 The Quality of the Understanding of Data
This topic is one of the most complex elements in the theory of brain-
based safety. We can only understand it if we have deeper knowledge
about our perception process. First, we will make a side tour in which
we study people who suffer from a perception disease called cataract,
and next we will translate this knowledge to risk understanding.
Eye lenses that slowly become clouded characterize the disease cata-
ract. People with a cataract can only see very vague shades; they are no
longer able to see objects, forms, or depth. Usually, a cataract develops in
people between the ages of 50 and 70 years old. There is, however, one
exception: innate cataract. People with innate cataracts are born with trou-
bled lenses. They never have been able to see in a normal way and to rec-
ognize anything. They can never see more than the difference between
light and dark. What is special about this group is that they haven
tbeen
inthepositiontolearnhowtousetheireyes.Inthemiddleofthe1990s,
'
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