16- WORKER’S ALERTNESS TO HAZARDS ANSI accredits standards development

organizations
Hazard Awareness (SDOs) that demonstrate compliance with
- Hazard awareness means paying attention rigorous
and being aware of what’s going on around criteria for openness, balance, transparency,
you that could be dangerous. and due process in the standardization
1. Promoting Safety process.
2. Minimizing Risks
3. Successful Project Completion - NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION
ASSOCIATION (NFPA)
Types of Hazards Offers training programs, seminars,
- Physical conferences, and
- Chemical certification courses for fire service
- Biological professionals, building
- Ergonomic inspectors, fire protection engineers, and other
- Psychosocial stakeholders involved in fire safety.

Consequences of Ignoring Hazards - AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY

- Workplace accidents and injuries PROFESSIONALS (ASSP)
- Health impacts ASSP provides guidance and assistance to
- Financial costs construction
- Legal repercussions companies in understanding and complying
with these
Factors Affecting Alertness regulations, helping them avoid penalties,
- Fatigue and Lack of Sleep fines, and legal
- Noise and Distractions liabilities associated with non-compliance.
- Complacency
- Lack of training Risk Assessment Techniques
- PPE non-compliance Identifying potential hazards, evaluating risks,
- Task Complexity and Repetition and implementing appropriate control
- Environmental Conditions: measures to mitigate those risks.
1. Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
Strategies for Enhancing Alertness Workers and supervisors collaboratively
- Training programs assess the risks involved and develop control
- Safety meetings measures to eliminate or minimize those
- Reporting systems hazards.
- Protocols and procedures 2. Safety Inspections
- PPE provision Regular safety inspections of construction
sites help workers identify hazards and unsafe
Regulatory Compliance conditions before they lead to accidents or
OSHA Regulations: injuries.
The Occupational Safety and Health 3. Toolbox Talks
Administration (OSHA) sets and enforces Toolbox talks provide an opportunity for
workplace safety and health regulations in the workers to share their experiences, raise
United States. OSHA regulations cover safety concerns, and reinforce safety
various aspects of construction work, including awareness among the team.
fall protection, scaffolding, electrical safety, 4. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) Review
hazard communication, and personal By reviewing SDS, workers can assess the
protective equipment (PPE). risks associated with the substances they are
working with and take appropriate precautions
INDUSTRY STANDARDS to prevent exposure.
Specific Industry Standards: 5. Observational Risk Assessment
- AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS Workers and supervisors pay close attention
INSTITUTE (ANSI) to how tasks are performed, looking for
deviations from safe work procedures,
improper use of equipment, and other
indicators of risk.
6. Pre-Task Planning
Before starting a new task or activity, workers
engage in pre-task planning to assess
potential hazards, establish safety
procedures, and allocate resources effectively.
7. Near-Miss Reporting
By learning from near-misses, workers can
proactively address underlying safety issues
and prevent accidents before they occur.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, promoting worker's alertness to
hazards is not only a legal and regulatory
requirement but also a moral obligation to
ensure that every worker returns home safely
at the end of the day. By embracing a proactive
approach to safety and fostering a
collaborative culture of risk awareness and
mitigation, the construction industry can
achieve its goal of zero incidents and create
safer work environments for all.
WORKERS ALERTNESS TO HAZARDS
• Workplace safety and health affect the
overall productivity of every
organization. Workers are expected to
safeguard everyone's welfare but this
sometimes is not the case. Some
employees may even sabotage the
work of others that result to potential
risks and hazards.
• Safety consciousness may be
defined as awareness of hazards and
alertness to danger. It could reduce the
risk of accidents. A culture of alertness
is the way people do things to maintain
a high level of awareness to enhance
worker safety and health.
5 Common Office Hazards to Prevent
1. Slips, Trips and Falls
- Universal slip, trip and fall culprits include
unattended spills, wet floors, exposed cords,
unstable work surfaces, uneven floors, loose
rugs and cluttered areas.
2. Ergonomic Injuries
- Office workers spend many hours a day
seated at a desk, working on a computer,
resulting in ergonomic strains and other
injuries related to posture and repetitive
movement.
3. Eye Strain
- Spending a large portion of your workday at
the computer can cause eyestrain.
4. Fire Safety
- Cords should never overloaded outlets. The
most common causes of fires started by
extension cords are improper use and
overloading.
5. Indoor Air Quality
- The office’s air quality can be greatly
improved by proper maintenance, cleaning
and filtration of the ventilation, heating and air
conditioning system.
Ways you can work to stay safe on the job
1. Be Aware
- Always be alert to what’s happening in your
surroundings.
2. Maintain Correct Posture
- Use correct posture to protect your back
while at work.
3. Take Breaks Regularly
- Regular breaks help you stay fresh and alert
on the job.
4. Use Equipment Properly
- Always take the proper precautions when
operating machinery or using tools.
5. Locate Emergency Exits
- Always know where emergency exits are
located and keep the path to them clear.
6. Report Safety Concerns
- If you notice a potential safety hazard or risk,
report it to your supervisor immediately so they
can address the situation.
7. Practice Effective Housekeeping
- Maintain a clean and organized workplace
environment.
8. Make Use of Mechanical Aids
- Take the extra time to obtain a wheelbarrow,
crank, etc. to assist you in lifting heavy objects.
9. Reduce Workplace Stress
- Stress can contribute to difficulty
concentrating, which make it hard to be alert at
work.
10. Use Appropriate Safet Equipment
- Use the proper safety equipment for a task to
help protect yourself from injury.
How to Develop the Culture of Alertness
1. Promoting work-life balance
- Change the way organization views work-life
balance. There should be less pressure on
workers to work for longer hours.
2. Continuous training
- Regular training will enable workers to know
the new issues that they should look out for.
3. Changing the management style to be
more safety-focused.
- As a leader, inspire your subordinates to take
ownership of the overall safety of the
organization. Communicate any changes to
safety protocols and hold regular discussions
on the safety issues that arise.
How to Develop Safety Consciousness
1. Know the job and be thoroughly familiar with
the work plan.
2. Make, revise and utilize Job Safety Analysis
for tasks to be done.
3. Perform our own work in such a way that will
not create or leave hazard which may cause
accidents involving other employees.
4. Obtain training in first aid and become
thoroughly familiar with knowing hot to give
artificial respiration.
5. Take an active part in safety meetings.
6. Report all hazards, unsafe practices, and
accidents. Correct all hazards we observe and
are capable of correcting safety.
7. Accept responsibility for using safety
protective equipment on the job.
8. Teach our own families, co-workers and
others about accident prevention.

What Compromises the Culture of

Alertness
1. Complacency
- When your work is dangerous to a certain
extent, chances are that you will try to ignore
your fears to do your job properly.
2. Stress
- It is a major occupational health and safety
issue. Workers are more likely to deal with
weight gain, comprised immune system, and
less likely to have self-control.
3. Lack of enough sleep
- Sleep deprivation is another issue that
greatly compromises the culture of alertness in
the workplace. This may lead to the
development acute insomnia.
4. Leadership
- If you want workers withing your organization
to feel a sense of ownership concerning safety
policies, then you must lead by example.

Conclusion
Hazards may not be sometimes eradicated but
workers should be alert at all times and must
follow the safety policies and guidelines. It is
complex, tough and needs team effort.

“Workplace safety and health are the

responsibility of everyone. You need to be
proactive in safeguarding not just your welfare
but also that of your colleagues.”
Safety
Safety in the workplace is a concern that
should be considered strictly and closely
observed.
No matter in which occupation you are, safety
at work is of vital importance. Employers
should always ensure that all safety
advantages for their workers and workers
should obey all the safety laws and guidelines.
Awareness and Alertness
“Awareness and alertness help us spot
dangers, find quick solutions to problems and,
of course, answer difficult questions with
confidence.” – Dr. Prem Jagyasi
“We must be alert, our eyes must be opened
and our ears must be very attentive” -Sunday
Adelaja
Common Issues Identifies Affecting
Alertness
1. Injuries
2. Confusion
3. Memory Failure
4. Conditions in Environment
Injuries- affect workers alertness at site.
1. Head injury
2. Infections
3. HIV/Disease
4. Epilepsy
5. Brain tumors
6. Covid 19 virus
Confusion or Decreased Alertness
Confusion or decrease alertness is the first
symptom of a serious health illness particularly
in older adults.
- Infections (ex: urinary tract infection,
respiratory infection, etc.)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Asthma
- Cardiac problem (heart failure)
- Diabetes
- Kidney failure
- Alcohol
- Malnutrition or vitamin deficiency
- Depression
- Thyroid problems
Memory Loss- that begins suddenly or that
significantly interferes with the ability function
daily may mean a more serious problem.
1. Dementia is a slow decline in memory,
problem solving-ability, learning ability, and
judgement.
2. Delirium is a sudden change on how well a
person’s brain is working. Can cause
confusion, change in sleep-wake cycles, and
cause unusual behavior.
3. Amnesia is a memory loss caused by head
injury, a stroke, substance abuse, or a severe
emotional event such as from combat or an
equipment vehicle accident.
Conditions in the Environment affecting
worker alertness
1. Cold temperature, leading to hypothermia.
2. High temperature, leading to heatstroke.
3. Hospitalization. This especially affects
older adults when their environment and
routines are changed.
4. Decreased oxygen in the blood (hypoxia)
from high altitude.
5. Exposure to toxins (poison), such as
carbon monoxide.
6. Exposure to viruses
- A decrease in alertness may progress to loss
of consciousness.
Conclusion
Worker’s alertness to the job is very vital in a
day-to-day basis. Workers must be conscious
all the time about the activities that are going
on around them. A decrease in alertness may
progress to loss of consciousness may result
to accidents and injuries in the job. It is also a
must that workers are required to have a
regular medical check up to identify their
health status and fitness to do the job.
How to stay alert at work?
1. Stay healthy, eat well.
2. Be in good condition before going to work.
3. Exercise daily.
4. Stay focus at work.
5. Stay away from distractions.
6. Rest during activity breaks to rest memory.
7. Drink enough water.
8. Go for a short walk before work to stay
awake.
9. Sleep at least 8 hours at night.
10. Reduce sugar intake.
11. Splash yourself with cold water.
12. Go for medical check-up regularly.