Toolbox Talk: Dangers of Rushing

Rushing is human nature. It’s human nature to want to get a job done as quickly as possible. Getting a task done in a hurry gives you the ability to start your next task sooner or, in some cases, more time to do other things that may be more enjoyable.

Many of us grew up being told that it’s important to accomplish as much as we can. But what we often weren’t told is that rushing can result in accidents, errors, and more time spent in the long run. We need to do our jobs correctly and safely.

Injuries due to time pressure are most often the result of a conscious or semi-conscious decision on the worker’s part to circumvent a known preventative measure to a known safety hazard. Being rushed can distract your attention from hazards you would normally recognize.

Apart from personal safety concerns, rushing can result in property damage, the need to redo a task you thought was already done, and mistakes that will make unhappy customers. This is a time when you should be thinking about safety at a higher level.

Think before you do.

• Rushing can cause you to act impulsively. Design safety into every task so you get into the habit of working safely.

Work efficiently, not quickly.

• Rushing can also cause a worker to take shortcuts in procedures designed to prevent injuries, as mentioned above.

• Rushing can cause you to work less efficiently or less safely with a partner. When you are in a hurry, teamwork becomes more important.

• Workers injured while rushing to get a task completed often decide to use the wrong tool for the job.

• If someone is using something you need, wait until it is available or take the time to stop and get what you need.

• Time pressure injuries are also the result of a worker who took a chance by doing something he or she knows is not safe.