Walk over Learning Lite

What is ‘Walk over’ ? Walk over is a direct, face to face way of communicating a safety message. It is a visible, hands-on approach. It should be adopted when you believe a safety concern needs to be addressed.

Walk over Many workers are unaware of certain dangerous situations in their immediate environment, this may be due to the worker concentrating and being very focussed on the task in hand. It could also be that the task has simply become habitual and the worker doesn’t consider the risks. In both of these cases the worker may also be experiencing Alpha state. Alpha is a brain wave and looks like day-dreaming or auto- pilot You’re conscious and awake but not consciously attending to everything. You need it for approximately 10 minutes per hour –not 10 consecutive minutes though. People need more alpha when they are tired, stressed or if they feel relaxed or safe. We also enter alpha when we are doing repetitive or habitual tasks (i.e. when something is a habit).

When to walk over Consider Walking Over to a worker if you see them involved with any of these unsafe acts or conditions; Unknowingly working immediately below or above another worker Constantly stepping over an obstruction e.g. pile of brick rubble on a scaffold Working from the top rung of a ladder Throwing scrap materials from a scaffold into a skip Using damaged tools e.g. shafts of picks and hammers, mushroomed chisels etc. Walking whilst using a mobile phone or radio near to mobile plant Working near to a moving load

How to walk over When you have made the decision to walk over; Approach with a non-aggressive attitude or manner Speak in your normal tone and use appropriate language In addressing your concern, and so as not to startle the worker, you should first engage in conversion with the worker(s) and move to a position of safety. Address your concern, not by immediately commenting that you consider that something is unsafe, but by asking the worker(s) if they perceive any risks in their activity or environment (it is better to let them observe and attempt to identify any potential safety issues) this is often more rewarding as you are not then seen in a policeman type role Please remember that if you believe a worker is in imminent danger then a shout may be the most appropriate action as an emergency alert

Not walking over ? Why wouldn’t you walk over? Maybe you don’t have the confidence in alerting someone to something you perceive as unsafe in case you are wrong and the situation is indeed safe leading you to feeling embarrassed Maybe you don’t think you have the necessary technical skills to offer an opinion Maybe you would prefer to report it to someone else and let them deal with it Maybe you don’t want to be seen as doing the supervisors job and avoid confrontation

Remember… The standard you set is the one you walk away from. What does this mean to you? Positive If you see something not ‘correct’ and you lead by example and improve the situation before walking away… people will see that you are setting a higher standard. Negative If you see something not ‘correct’, and you choose to do nothing about it – what standard are you setting for other people? So you should Walk Over

So what have we Learned? Walking over shows that you care about your fellow workers It also sets a good standard to be followed You may well prevent someone from being injured