1. Risk Tolerance Factor # 2 Familiarity with the Task “Complacency”
Strategies for Understanding and Addressing
Risk Tolerance
Factor # 2 Familiarity with the Task
“Complacency”

2. Familiarity with the Task
10 Factors That Influence Risk Tolerance
Overestimating Capability/Experience
Familiarity with the Task
Seriousness of Outcome
Voluntary Actions and Being in Control
Personal Experience with an Outcome
Cost of Non-Compliance
Confidence in the Equipment
Confidence in Protection and Rescue
Potential Profit & Gain from Actions
Role Models Accepting Risk
COMPLACENCY
“Self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.”
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Complacency occurs when a worker completes a task successfully many times and has the skill to complete it successfully without thinking.
The worker may become unaware of the potential hazards of the task due to the multiple successful completions without the hazard being an issue.
The worker has developed enough skill to complete the task without being fully focused on the task.

3. Root Cause Analysis Factor #4
“Not following the standard or procedure, not mitigating the risks has not resulted in an incident in the past”
Complacency Due to Familiarization
Repetitive tasks
Long duration tasks
Getting ‘comfortable’ working near a hazard
Scepticism of Potential Hazard – “There was no incident when I did it this way the last time
The first 2 questions on the STOP & THINK card can assist in reducing the occurrence of an incident:
What could go wrong? After multiple repetitions of the task, the question needs to be expanded to “What could go wrong THIS time?”
How bad could it be?
These questions must be asked “internally” (mental process) on a continual basis. A process like the JSA can also be used as a prompt for Stop and Think moments at predetermined times during repetitive tasks.

4. Factors Influencing Risk Tolerance
Familiarity with the Task (Complacency)
“He had done this task 500 times without hurting himself”
“We had stack about 200 of them when ...”
“I do it about 10 times every day”
The potential for work execution without having to refocus or refresh can create a blindness to the hazards and risks, thereby increasing risk tolerance due to familiarity.
Complacency is not laziness or lack of interest in job or not caring about results. Complacency occurs when the skill level is achieved where the task can be completed without the worker being fully focused on the task. The task can be completed based on habit and experience. (repetitive and completed correctly numerous times)
EXAMPLES:
The operator who runs 20 to 30 pigs a day. He opens and close similar valve assemblies in a shift. The opening and closing sequence is identical, no focus required due to repetitive process and no incidents have occurred.
The heavy equipment operator who climbs up and down his equipment several times a day. It’s the same task each time and is not the main part of the job (i.e. operating the equipment). Having never fallen off the ladder, he may get lulled into a sense of security where the three point contact on the ladder no longer seems to be important.
Strategies for Reducing Tolerance
Situational Awareness – Treat every time like the first time .... ‘Stop and Think’
What could go wrong this time?
How would I teach a new person to do this?
Verbalize the task steps of the task while doing it

5. Competency Cycle Time & Repetition Restore Competency
I don’t know what I don’t know
CHANGE
Orientation /
Training
Restore Competency
Refresher training
JSA / LMRA
Feedback
Observations
Checklists
Verbalization
I don’t think about it anymore (habit/complacency)
I know what I don’t know
Time & Repetition
Training / Mentorship
The risk tolerance can increase as we become more familiar with the task execution. We do not have to think about our work, we can complete the task from memory due to repetition of the task. This model shows that a worker can become complacent over time after they have become competent in the task.
Specific interventions are required to bring the worker back to the ideal state where they are consciously thinking about the tasks as they perform them. These include:
Participate or lead the JSA for the task
Participate in an LPO (observation)
Use a checklist for the task (i.e such as a pilot uses each time they prepare for take off)
Verbalization (speaking out load the steps and cautions while completing the task) - Verbalization is a proven and effective technique for addressing complacency.
Ask the audience for examples of tasks they do where they may be doing the job without thinking about the details.
For me insights and details on this competency and complacency model see EMFOS Module 4 – Workforce Competency.
“Consciously Competent”
Competent in the task and thinking about it each time it is performed.
Preferred State

6. Tools and Processes for Addressing Complacency
Refresher training: Review existing procedures and processes. Complete attest of skill
JSA:
Develop or review JSA pre-job
Feedback:
Provide worker with feedback on performance
Observations:
Complete an LPO on work execution
Assignments:
Assign worker as mentor for new worker Provide worker an opportunity for a special project
Checklists:
Develop a checklist/work aid to ensure procedural steps are adhered to during work execution
Verbalization:
Voice out loud the steps you are completing while executing the task.
Ask “ What other process or tools can be utilized to lower the potential for complacency to occur?”
Ask “ What are you currently doing to keep complacency from creeping into your job site?”

7. Exercise and Discussion
Identify a routine task that you have done more than 100 times in your job?. _______________________________________________________________
What could happen if you loose focus on this task? How bad could it be? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Identify a routine task that you do more than 10 times per day? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What could happen if you loose focus on this task? How bad could it be? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Identify one task that you will do in the next week where you will use the verbalizing technique (talk your way through the task out loud) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What specific action am I going to take to address this risk tolerance factor? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Familiarity with the Task
10 Factors That Influence Risk Tolerance
Overestimating Capability/Experience
Familiarity with the Task
Seriousness of Outcome
Voluntary Actions and Being in Control
Personal Experience with an Outcome
Cost of Non-Compliance
Confidence in the Equipment
Confidence in Protection and Rescue
Potential Profit & Gain from Actions
Role Models Accepting Risk
Stay tuned for additional strategies to help reduce risk tolerance on the other factors.