09 Dec Hurry Up Can Hurt

Hurry Up Can Hurt

Rushing may seem like a way to save time, but on the job it often increases the chance of mistakes, unsafe shortcuts, and serious injuries. Speed belongs on the racetrack—not in the workplace.

Most of us have hurried through a task at one time or another. Maybe we wanted to finish an unpleasant job, meet a deadline, get to break, or simply avoid the extra effort required to do something correctly. The problem is that rushing rarely saves enough time to justify the additional risk.

Common Shortcuts

Think about whether you have ever been tempted to:

• Skip safety glasses because the task will “only take a minute.”
• Use the wrong ladder because the correct one is farther away.
• Skip lockout/tagout because the adjustment or repair will be quick.
• Take a shortcut through an equipment operating area or between stored materials.
• Use the wrong tool because the proper one is not nearby.
• Carry tools in your hands while climbing a ladder instead of maintaining three points of contact.
• Defeat, remove, or bypass a machine guard or safety device.
• Overreach from a ladder instead of climbing down and repositioning it.
• Adjust a power tool without first disconnecting or controlling its energy source.
• Continue using a damaged, defective, or dull tool to finish “just one more” task.
• Operate a forklift or other equipment faster than conditions safely allow.
• Use an incomplete or improperly erected scaffold.
• Leave protruding nails or other hazards intending to correct them later.
• Climb on equipment, materials, shelving, or structures instead of using proper access equipment.
• Move too quickly through blind corners, congested areas, doorways, or other locations with limited visibility.

Each shortcut may save a few seconds or minutes, but any one of them can result in an injury that costs far more time—or causes permanent consequences.

Slow Down and Plan the Job

Before beginning a task, make sure you have the correct tools, equipment, PPE, and procedures. If something is missing, stop and get what you need rather than improvising.

When conditions change or you find yourself rushing, ask:

“Am I doing this safely, or am I doing it this way just because it is faster?”

Deadlines and production goals never justify bypassing established safety procedures.

Remember

Getting away with an unsafe shortcut does not make it safe. Near misses and previous successes can create a false sense of confidence. Eventually, the same shortcut may result in a serious injury.

Don’t speed up your chances of an accident just to save a few minutes. Take the time to do the job safely the first time.