Work as Intended vs Done->Accident

I was going through the book “Safety I and Safety II” by Erik Hollnagal. He brings in a chart below. Tod Conklin too touches on this in his lectures. Black line is how management thinks how work happens / should happen as per SOP etc., Blue line is how work gets done by worker based on situation. 

Which lead me to ponder on the aspect!

“Work as Imagined” and “Work as Done” are concepts often discussed in the field of Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) and are crucial for understanding the factors that can lead to accidents in the workplace.

1. Work as Imagined (WAI): Work as Imagined represents the ideal or planned way of doing a task or job. It’s how procedures, guidelines, and safety measures are designed on paper or in theory. In WAI, everything is planned and executed perfectly, with all safety precautions in mind. This is often the result of careful planning and consideration of best practices.

2. Work as Done (WAD): Work as Done, on the other hand, is the real-world execution of tasks by workers. It might deviate from the ideal or planned way of doing things due to various factors. WAD considers the actual, practical, and sometimes improvisational aspects of work. Workers may adapt to the situation, encounter unexpected challenges, or even take shortcuts.

Now, the connection to hazards and accidents:

Accidents often occur when there’s a mismatch between WAI and WAD. Here’s how:

• Complacency: Workers may become complacent or overconfident, assuming that the work will proceed as planned (WAI), and neglect safety precautions when executing tasks (WAD).

• Pressure and Time Constraints: In real-world situations, workers might face pressure to meet deadlines or cut corners to save time. This can lead to deviations from the planned safety procedures.

• Lack of Training: Sometimes, employees may not be adequately trained or informed about the ideal way of performing tasks (WAI), leading to unsafe practices in the field (WAD).

• Inadequate Communication: If there’s a gap in communication between planners/designers (WAI) and the workers (WAD), critical safety information may not be effectively conveyed, leading to potential hazards.

• Unforeseen Circumstances: The real world is unpredictable. Workers may encounter unexpected situations and hazards that weren’t considered in the initial planning (WAI).

To prevent accidents, it’s essential for EHS professionals to bridge the gap between WAI and WAD. This involves regular safety training, open communication, adapting safety procedures to the real world, and constant monitoring of how work is actually being done. It’s a dynamic process aimed at ensuring that the way work is executed aligns with the intended safety measures. This can significantly reduce the risk of accidents in the workplace.

Management/ Managers are also responsible for this ?

It’s not uncommon for leaders and managers to inadvertently create procedures that make “Work as Imagined” (WAI) impractical for workers. This can lead to several issues and challenges in the workplace:

1. Bureaucracy and Red Tape: Excessive rules and procedures can create a bureaucratic environment where workers are bogged down by paperwork and administrative tasks. This can make it difficult for them to efficiently carry out their tasks as envisioned in WAI.

2. Lack of Flexibility: Overly rigid procedures may not account for the dynamic nature of work. Workers might find it impractical to follow a strict set of guidelines when they need to adapt to changing conditions or unforeseen challenges.

3. Disconnect from Reality: Procedures developed by leaders and managers are often based on a conceptual understanding of the work. They may not fully consider the practical, on-the-ground realities and challenges that workers face, making WAI out of touch with WAD.

4. Unrealistic Expectations: Leaders and managers sometimes set unrealistic expectations, such as tight timelines or workloads, which can force workers to take shortcuts or compromise on safety to meet those expectations.

5. Complexity: Procedures that are overly complex can be impractical for workers to understand and follow. This complexity can lead to confusion and errors.

6. Resistance and Non-compliance: When workers find procedures to be impractical, they may be more inclined to resist or even bypass them to get the job done, leading to potential safety risks.

7. Morale and Job Satisfaction: Impractical procedures can negatively impact employee morale and job satisfaction. Workers may feel frustrated or demotivated when they believe they are being asked to do something that doesn’t make sense or is overly burdensome.

8. Waste of Resources: When procedures are impractical, it can lead to a waste of time and resources. Workers may spend more time navigating convoluted processes rather than focusing on the task at hand.

To mitigate these issues, leaders and managers should aim for a balance between ensuring safety and operational efficiency. This can be achieved by:

• Involving workers in the procedure development process to get their input and insights.
• Regularly reviewing and updating procedures to ensure they reflect real-world conditions.
• Providing adequate training to ensure that workers understand and can effectively implement the procedures.
• Encouraging open communication so that workers can report issues or suggest improvements in the procedures.
• Monitoring and assessing the impact of procedures on productivity and safety to make necessary adjustments.

Ultimately, the goal is to have procedures that align with both safety objectives (WAI) and the practical realities of the workplace (WAD). This can lead to a safer, more efficient, and more satisfying work environment.

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How to determine a foolproof system to allow as less a gap between Work as Imagined vs Acutally done. The following Safety Measures/ essential controls, could be worked in descending order.

Prioritizing these 24 safety measures as controls, in a descending order based on practicality and risk is a prudent approach since resources and attention need to be allocated where they will have the most significant impact. Here’s a prioritized list:

1. Risk Assessments: Understanding and assessing risks is the foundational step for prioritizing safety measures.
2. Training and Education: Well-trained workers are better equipped to recognize and mitigate risks.
3. Safety Procedures: Clear procedures are essential for guiding safe work practices.
4. Emergency Response Plan: Immediate response to emergencies can mitigate the impact of incidents.
5. Regular Inspections: Frequent inspections help identify and address safety deficiencies.
6. Machine Guards: Protecting against contact with moving parts is a high priority.
7. Supervision and Oversight: Competent supervision ensures safety protocols are followed.
8. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Wearing PPE when needed provides immediate protection.
9. Fall Protection: Necessary for work at heights to prevent severe injuries.
10. Safe Equipment: Ensuring machinery is in good working order is vital.
11. Ventilation: Controls exposure to harmful substances like fumes and dust.
12. Hazardous Material Handling: Safely managing hazardous materials is crucial.
13. Electrical Safety: Ensuring electrical safety is a high-risk reduction measure.
14. Behavior-Based Safety Programs: Promoting a safety culture is valuable for long-term risk reduction.
15. Incident Reporting: Prompt reporting helps address emerging hazards.
16. Environmental Controls: Protecting against environmental hazards is significant.
17. Continuous Improvement: Ongoing improvement maintains safety effectiveness.
18. Health and Wellness Programs: Healthy workers are generally safer workers.
19. Compliance with Regulations: Ensuring regulatory compliance is important for risk avoidance.
20. Safety Signage: Clear signage is valuable for communication and awareness.
21. Safe Work Practices: Promoting safe work habits reduces the risk of incidents.
22. Safety Committees: Involving workers in safety decisions builds a strong safety culture.
23. Noise Control: Reducing noise-related health risks is necessary.
24. Environmental Controls: Protecting against environmental hazards is significant.

Keep in mind that the priority order may vary based on the specific industry, workplace, and the nature of the work being conducted. It’s important to regularly assess and reassess priorities to adapt to changing circumstances and emerging risks. Additionally, some safety measures are foundational and should be addressed in parallel with more specific measures to ensure a comprehensive safety program.

Concluding Thoughts: The priority should be to align WAI with WAD as closely as possible. This alignment involves factors like clear communication, worker involvement, training, and a culture of safety. By reducing the gap between WAI and WAD, organizations can significantly enhance workplace safety. It’s not only about designing safe procedures but also ensuring that they are practical and effective in real-world situations. Safety is about balancing the best practices (WAI) with the realities of the work environment (WAD) to minimize risks and accidents.