Continuous Hazard Assessment (The Daily Mindset)

Welcome back, let's Build Smart & Build Safe! We've covered what hazards are and where to find them. Today, we're focusing on the mindset that keeps you safe all day long: Continuous Hazard Assessment.

A job site is constantly changing. The hazards present at 7:00 AM are often different from those present at 11:00 AM after a new delivery or after weather conditions change. Safety is an ongoing process, not a one-time morning meeting.

The "Take 5" Concept ⏱️

The most powerful tool for continuous assessment is the "Take 5" concept. This means every worker should pause for five minutes (or five seconds!) to assess the immediate working area before starting any new task, or when conditions change.

Use "Take 5" to ask yourself:

• Has the Task Changed? Am I moving from cutting to welding?

• Has the Environment Changed? Did it just rain, creating slip hazards? Did another crew just start work overhead?

• Are My Controls Still Effective? Is the guardrail I rely on still secure? Is my ventilation fan still working?

Making this a habit—a personal checkpoint—ensures you don't inherit a hazard left by another activity or crew.

Key Moments for Re-Assessment

There are specific times when you must stop and reassess the hazards:

• Before Starting a New Task: Every time your job changes (e.g., leaving carpentry to operate a lift).

• After Lunch/Breaks: A fresh set of eyes might spot a hazard that was missed earlier, or that was introduced while you were away.

• After Any Near Miss: A near miss is a sign that a new, unidentified hazard exists and requires immediate, site-wide reassessment.

• Whenever a New Crew Enters Your Area: New activities always introduce new risks (e.g., tools, traffic, noise).

A proactive safety culture is one where workers are trained and empowered to stop work to reassess hazards. It is a sign of strong leadership when a worker's time is prioritized for safety checks.

Tomorrow, we'll review the formal, systematic hazard identification process: the Job Safety Analysis (JSA).

Please share us with your friends for a daily dose of construction safety tips!

-The Safety Man