SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

Safety is about concentrating on the job at hand. A momentary lapse is all that it takes for a disaster to happen. It is essential that you stay focused on what you are doing now and the effect that action has on the overall job. (If this then? what)

A routine is one way of maintaining that focus; an edge in the successful job done well. When you are out of sync you loose one tool; and sometimes your focus is lost as well. Every one of us knows that you can not stow the outriggers with the boom still up. That is not the issue. Yes, that is the reason the pump fell over. That is not the lesson to take away from this event, you know that.

Just think about all the pictures you have seen of pumps 'tire side up'. A large majority of them have the outriggers stowed. All of the operators of these machines knew that they would fall over with no outriggers. What they did not know (at that time) was that they had ceased to be aware of where they were at that time. That is the issue here as I see it; just a momentary loss of focus, a lapse in your situational awareness.

The better you are at your job the less likely you are to loose your situational awareness, your focus. We have all seen operators that NEVER really "get it" they never have a handle on 'where' in the routine they are. Their brain never does make the connection ... If this-- then (reaction).

I used to work for a guy, (Tom). His observation was that "The guy moves like a professional". = he knows where he is.

Watch a really good, focused operator move around his machine. It is like a dance where he knows the steps. He is focused; his situational awareness is set on high at all times. If the music stops or changes he still knows where he is and what is next.

I write often about the routine. The routine is not and end to its self; it is a tool. Like any tool it makes your job easier to do well. The tool is not the answer, it is a way to simplify or make finding the answer easier and more assured. It is an edge or aid in the battle for a job well done.

It is your job to maintain situational awareness at all times. There are many activities vying for your attention; cell phones, friends, strange noises that don’t fit into the situation, truck horns, two signal men, calcium chloride in the middle of summer… the list is endless. Sometimes it is just too much to deal with and you get short with people or over react to a situation. The dispatcher wants you on another job, your wife would like you to be home early, the mud has been slow all day, the drivers want to yack with each other, the back end of your pump has two yards on it, the contractor wants you to move to the other side of the job to do one column; being the ring master in the circus and staying focused on your primary job is tough.

A rookie needs to watch the box and the boom and that is ok because that is who he is. He knows that he doesn’t have the “tools” to operate on auto pilot. The other end of the spectrum is the guy that can back in the mixer truck, move the boom, think about the next set up, tell the driver discharging that he is getting ready to turn off the pump, tell the dispatcher when he will be done, glance at his outriggers and NEVER forget where he is or not know the foreseeable reaction of his actions. 99.5% of all operators are somewhere in between these two extremes.

How do you get from rookie to auto pilot?

Practice

Remember what works

Develop learning tools

Learn the art of being able to focus

Create your system

Practice

Remember where you are

Study the reactions to your actions

Practice

Mentally develop a list of what doesn’t work

Refine your system

Practice

Think before you act

Practice

Know where you are

Practice

Remain situationally aware

Practice

Practice makes perfect

;~)

Well said Bob. All it takes is a slight change in your routine and disaster can strike. I was on a job yrs back and someone else was washing my pump out. I then proceeded to fold the outriggers in. before i put in the rear outriggers i happend to look up and realize the boom was not in the craddle. It was folded up but not in the craddle. My heart just about stopped. I will ALWAYS admit my screw ups. It is better to not get help when folding/washing out and just stick to your routine.

what a helpfull advise bob, i will print this and share to my buddies here, any just last week im running 32putz coz the operator went for vacation for 1 month, soon ill need youre help guys,

chongliyan

On the left side of the page, below the big orange CIFA add there is a category named "pumping articles"

There is a lot of good information there; everything from how to start a company to sucking a sponge. Good variety! enjoy ;~)

Boy...this all sounds too familiar, Huh Bob??!!!!

mrmike36z

Yup.

When someone wants to learn it is all good!

In my years of pumping I would have to say a big part of accidents and damages were due to operators getting out of their routine,routines are just as much a part of pumping as your outrigger pads,dunnage,ppe,without all of these we turn into not so safe operators,maybe these will help

DO NOT:(1) talk or receive phone calls if its an emergency stop pumping until you can concentrate solely on your task at hand.  

(2)no ipods walkmans or devices which may impair your ability to focus

(3)     don't try to do to many things at one time

(4) if you get rattled, upset shut the pump off regain your composure before you start back pumping

(5) if you do get out of your routine double check everything you do

(6) dont get in a hurry,you'll end up taking more time because you are rushing,slow and steady wins the race

I'm sure I missed some feel free to add on

A wise man once said "If you want something done right you need to do it yourself ". I say this with respect to drivers or labourers wanting to lend you a hand to either set up or hook up your equipment. I can count numerous times when I have had to ask people not to help just so I can make sure things have been done the way I want them to. It is like bob said it is all in the routine, miss one step and its like having 2 left feet at the dance when the spotlight hits you. I realize I have nowhere near the experience most of you have but I am learning as I go and I have to admit with the routine I have life has been made that much more easier and my job more enjoyable.