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2026 SafeStart Forum Conference Announced

SafeStart Forum Save the Date

This October, SafeStart will host its third SafeStart Forum—a conference designed with a human factors focus in every aspect, from the session topics to attendee interactivity. The SafeStart Forum isn’t just a forum to learn about human factors; it’s an opportunity for companies to empower their most important asset—their people. Attendees develop strategies to improve crucial KPIs, lead more meaningful conversations and apply a human factors lens to everything they do.

Save the date

The conference will be held on October 20–21, 2026, at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs in Franklin, Tennessee. Mark it in your calendar to save the date, if you will—we hope you will join us. Registration details will be released soon.

What to expect
  • Two days of conference sessions (October 20 and 21)
  • Interactive curated learning and actionable takeaways
  • Industry expert speakers
  • Over 25 different sessions
  • A highly sought-after keynote speaker with stories on human experience
  • An optional pre-conference half-day workshop for added learning (October 19)
  • Incredible networking opportunities

The SafeStart Forum is the perfect venue for trainers, safety staff, leaders and steering committee members to deliberately build practical skills and bring home actionable improvement plans from thought leaders. There will be an equal mix of SafeStart speakers and industry speakers with an advanced knowledge of human factors. 

What’s unique about the SafeStart Forum is the focus on interactive sessions. This conference is not something that could be captured in a virtual setting. The primary focus of this conference is on the humans who attend, and all attendees will have an opportunity to become participants. Storytelling and first-hand experience are the best ways to learn, and this conference will give several outlets to not only learn but to share your experience as well. 

The conference will cover a wide range of topics, including human factors management, safety culture and climate, leadership, serious injuries and fatalities, human and organizational performance, employee engagement, sustainable training and how AI relates to human factors. We can’t wait to see the conversations that come out of these sessions.

The SafeStart Forum helps individuals identify, assess, and manage the impact of human factors on their most critical KPIs. Leaders will leave the conference with renewed ownership and commitment to personal growth. So stay tuned for more information on registration—this is one conference you won’t want to miss.

On-demand webinar

Using a Human Factors Framework for Safety and Operational Excellence

It can be hard to see the connection between safety, productivity, human factors and organizational systems. This webinar will demonstrate how a human factors framework can impact all areas of an organization, linking individual worker safety and organizational systems and provide an outline that allows leadership to manage safety-focused change.

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Do Well-Stocked First Aid Kits Change How You Think About Risk?

Construction worker needing first aid

Risk perception is a tricky thing. While risk is real, how it’s perceived is in the eye of the beholder. And all too often, the severity of a risk doesn’t necessarily dictate the attention it gets.

According to an article from Environmental Health Perspectives, “Risk perception is a highly personal process of decision making, based on an individual’s frame of reference developed over a lifetime, among many other factors. A body of research from the past several decades makes it clear that when it come [sic] to making decisions about health and safety, we don’t always worry the most about the most pressing threats.”

Risk compensation is a phenomenon in which people adjust their behavior based on their perceived level of risk. This means that when people feel safer, they take more risks. When it comes to driving, vehicles with blind spot detection technology can cause drivers to stop doing shoulder checks. On a jobsite, workers wearing cut-resistant gloves as PPE may stop taking their time when using utility knives because they perceive there are no risks—the PPE will protect them.

Another factor in risk compensation has to do with first aid kits. When people perceive that the protection of something like a first aid kit is available, they may unconsciously pay less attention to hazards—justifying the consequences of a minor incident as manageable and subsequently taking more risks. 

To be clear, first aid kits are an essential feature of any workplace. Workers should be able to readily access a well-stocked first aid kit at all times. But it’s also important for safety professionals to be aware of how first aid kits can inadvertently skew workers’ risk perception.

The risk compensation caused by first aid kits can also dampen the chances of people analyzing close calls, which is a key safety practice similar to reporting near misses and is also part of SafeStart’s human factors management practices. Remedying small cuts or minor injuries with a first aid kit close by can lead to the incident being forgotten once the bandage is applied.

And what happens when the complacency of not thinking about risks transfers to first aid kit maintenance? It’s not uncommon for people to neglect first aid kit maintenance. Since people don’t use first aid kits often, many workplaces overlook the need to check for expired or depleted items.

Fortunately, safety professionals can take steps to reduce first aid kit-induced complacency. A regular inspection schedule can go a long way to keeping first aid kits well-stocked. Be sure to make sure inspections happen on an annual basis, if not more frequently, and that inspections check for both items that are missing and items that have expired (or are about to expire).  

Most first aid kits (regardless of their purpose, intended number of users or location) will include:

  • Adhesive bandages (expiry: two years—they lose their stickiness and they may no longer be sterile)
  • Alcohol wipes or other hand sanitizers (expiry: two years—alcohol slowly evaporates, making them less effective)
  • Bandages and sterile dressings (expiry: three years—lose sterility over time)
  • First aid booklet (expiry: three to five years—ensure it’s up to date)
  • Antiseptic liquid/saline for cleaning (expiry: one year—loses efficacy over time)
  • Gels, creams, ointments and sprays (expiry: two years—expired products can cause reduced effectiveness)
  • Instant cold packs (check expiry date—bag can become brittle, leak, or the chemicals can solidify)
  • Medication like chewable Aspirin tablets (check manufacturer’s expiry date—usually two to three years)
  • Personal protective equipment—masks, non-latex gloves (expiry: three to five years—becomes brittle and breaks down)
  • Scissors and tweezers (do not expire: inspect regularly for rust, corrosion, or damage—can become blunt, broken, or unhygienic over time)

Communication with workers can also rein in risk compensation. One good option is a toolbox talk in the workplace or setting a schedule for checking your home or vehicle kits can help. Be sure to discuss the human factors that impact risk perception, risk compensation and first aid kit maintenance in your toolbox talk. 

First aid kits can reduce the severity of incidents, and they should be made available across a worksite (and people should have them at home, too). But if you’re not careful, it can also contribute to complacency. By implementing an inspection schedule that includes both missing and expired items, and by discussing first aid kits with workers are part of toolbox talks and safety meetings, you can stop risk compensation in its tracks.

Free Guide

Fighting Familiarity: Overcoming Complacency in the Workplace

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Workplace Walking: How to Cultivate a Successful Wellness Habit

National Walking Day in the workplace

It’s hard to imagine that sitting can be harmful to your health, but prolonged periods of sitting have turned into a silent epidemic. Nearly 1 in 3 adults do not get enough physical activity, and the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that levels of inactivity are expected to continue rising in the coming years.

Sitting is the new smoking

A sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of developing chronic long-term conditions like cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders (e.g., type 2 diabetes), obesity, musculoskeletal issues, mental health disorders and certain cancers. Interventions are required to reverse the dangers of prolonged inactivity, and experts increasingly agree that we need to treat this issue as we have other widespread health risks like smoking.

“We need to find innovative ways to motivate people to be more active, considering factors like age, environment, and cultural background. By making physical activity accessible, affordable, and enjoyable for all, we can significantly reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases and create a population that is healthier and more productive,” said Dr. Rüdiger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO.

The solution

Adults are recommended to do a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Don’t worry, that sounds a lot more rigorous than it is. The criteria to reach moderate-intensity when it comes to physical activity are:

  • You break a sweat
  • It becomes harder to breathe
  • Your heart rate is elevated
  • While you’ll still be able to talk, singing is more difficult

One easy way to achieve this moderate-intensity physical activity is to participate in National Walking Day, held annually on April 1. The American Heart Association established this national day to promote heart health and combat sedentary lifestyles. Many people do not consider walking to be true exercise because it’s low-intensity, low-impact and low on the excuses you can make not to do it. However, it’s a great way to push back against the effects of being sedentary.

Walking is something you can do every day—you don’t need a gym membership. If outdoor conditions are not conducive to walking, you can do it in a public space like a mall or sports arena. It requires no equipment aside from a decent pair of shoes. And walking can fit into almost anyone’s daily schedule.

Create a walking habit

Use April 1 as an opportunity to start a new walking habit. A brisk walk for 30-minutes a day, five days a week, will achieve the minimum recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity.

When creating a habit, repetition is key. Choose the same time for your walk every day, such as before work or at lunch time, and make it a non-negotiable. You can also add it to your calendar to help you stick to your commitment to walk.

Here are a few other things you can do to develop a workplace walking habit.

1. Don’t walk alone

Involving other people in your walking habit turns it from a chore into a fun activity with friends. Walking with someone else increases the likelihood that it will become a regular habit, and it’s great for motivation and accountability—you’re less likely to skip out on a walk if you think someone else is counting on you to do it. Having another person join you on your walk also ensures that you maintain the speed required to make it a moderate-intensity physical activity.

2. Break it up

If you can’t find a 30-minute block to get a walk in, break it up into smaller time frames. The recommended 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity does not have to happen all at once. Three 10-minute walks or two 15-minute walks can be just as effective as one 30-minute walk. The key to successful habit building is to eliminate the potential excuses that will stand in your way, so structure your walks in whatever way will allow them to fit into your schedule.

3. Create posters

Advertise the benefits of walking or walking groups throughout your facility—make it something to talk about. Posters could invite people to join a regularly scheduled walking group. Or they could be educational and reiterate the benefits of walking. You can also include the importance of walking in a safety meeting or toolbox talk. Incentivize people to start walking by introducing pedometers and offering prizes for step challenges.

4. Keep human factors in mind

Don’t let complacency cause people to overlook the risks of being sedentary—walking can be dangerous. After talking about the benefits of creating a walking habit (which includes reducing fatigue and stress), another toolbox topic could discuss walking safety, which will help people stay safe as they become more active. 

Building a habit of walking with purpose is one of the easiest ways for people to mitigate the effects of prolonged inactivity. Encouraging workers to get active and start walking will improve their health, and it can have all sorts of benefits in the workplace too. So incorporate walking into your safety messaging and take the first steps toward getting people moving with regularity.

Free guide

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Most of what we do every day is habitual, so learning how to change or form new habits can be a game-changer in safety. Use this guide to help your employees learn how to do it effectively.

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Hand Safety Misconceptions: How to Protect Working Hands

Factory male worker accident at his arms during working with lathe machine in industry factory

Hands are one of the most frequently injured parts of the body. Every year, over 100,000 people suffer a lost-time hand injury, and almost 1% of people hurt their hands on an annual basis. This makes hand safety a perennial challenge in many workplaces. And despite the clear need to reduce the severity and frequency of hand-related incidents, it can be hard for safety professionals to get a solid grip on hand safety.

According to a recent article in Occupational Health and Safety titled “Why Hand Safety Remains One of the Toughest Challenges at Work”, the reason that hand injuries are so prevalent may be because EHS folks are overlooking a couple of major contributors to the issue.

One of the most prevalent misconceptions about hand safety is to overweight the value of giving workers gloves. Because while hand protection is important, there’s a lot more to it than simply handing over a few pairs of PPE.

As the article’s author, Ray Prest, points out, “simply providing PPE isn’t sufficient […] one survey reported that 83 percent of respondents said hand injuries occurred in their workplace despite workers being given safety gloves.” In part, this is because you can’t expect people to start using safety gloves as required without instruction, and every piece of protective equipment should be accompanied with training about how, why and when to use it.

More broadly, however, the presence of gloves in the workplace is only part of the issue. People take off their gloves, or forgo wearing them entirely, in all sorts of situations and for all sorts of reasons. And all too often, people work with their bare hands even when they know they should be wearing hand protection. The reason why? Human factors.

Complacency can lead workers to believe they don’t need to wear their gloves. Distraction or fatigue can cause employees to forget to put on hand protection after their lunch break. Rushing can make it seem like a waste of time to fetch PPE from a locker or truck.

In the OHS article, Prest points out that human factors contribute to hand injuries in other ways too. Distractions can mean employees inadvertently place a hand in the line of fire, and ambiguity can mean workers aren’t sure when they actually have to wear safety gloves. And while human factors often contribute to small errors, these little mistakes can be enough to damage the fragile bones in the human hand.

The article goes on to propose several solutions, the first of which is getting frontline leaders to lend a helping hand. A safety-conscious supervisor can reduce hand injuries in a number of ways with the judicious use of communication skills, just-in-time interventions, and effective reminders about the importance of personal safety awareness and managing human factors.

Of course, as Prest notes, there’s no benefit in having supervisors remind people about rushing or fatigue if employees don’t have a basic understanding of human factors to begin with. That’s why the article goes on to suggest that a good human factors training initiative is foundational to a comprehensive hand safety program:

“Distraction, fatigue and rushing all contribute to hand incidents. One effective mitigation strategy is to educate workers on human factors and to give them the practical skills to identify and manage them in real time. A good human factors training program can provide context to help improve systems, [and] it should also include a healthy dose of habit-building.”

Human factors training can bolster both active awareness and ever-present habits. And the two layers of defense are necessary. Workers often need a high degree of personal safety awareness to recognize when their hands might be at risk—and they also need good safety habits that protect them when there are lapses in their personal awareness.

In the end, the article demonstrates that there is no single solution to hand injuries. Instead, a web of solutions that stretches from PPE to human factors management can provide a high degree of protection for people’s hands in the workplace. As for where to start on weaving that web, the article and SafeStart’s free hand safety guide offer practical insights and strategies for keeping people’s hands safe.

Guide to Hand Safety

Insights and Strategies to Prevent Hand Injuries

Based on robust survey data, this free guide outlines which safety intervention work—and which gaps are often overlooked in hand safety.

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3 Road Safety Tips for the Tired Time Traveler

Tired truck driver yawning behind the steering wheel.

In March, most of us become time travelers, which sounds a lot more fun than it actually is. Daylight saving time has us springing forward by an hour as we all collectively turn our clocks ahead and speed up our Sunday. Some people enjoy the time shift, which leads to brighter evenings that coincide with warmer weather. Others resent the shorter weekend and darker mornings. But no matter how you feel about skipping sixty minutes into the future, the fact is that it can be dangerous in the short term, especially on the road.

Switching up routines right before the official start of spring leads to about a 6% increase in fatal traffic incidents, and these are heavily attributed to fatigue and unfamiliar lighting conditions. Daylight saving time is disorienting. Thankfully, it’s also predictable, and a little preparation before turning the key in the ignition can make all the difference when driving after a time shift. Since we know this increased driving risk happens annually, now is a good time to review a few spring daylight saving time vehicular safety tips with workers, friends and family members.

Tip 1: Prepare for sleepy mornings

Driving drowsy is dangerous. And no matter what the clock says, after the daylight saving spring forward, your body knows that you are waking up an hour earlier than normal. It takes time to adjust to any sleep schedule change, even if it’s just hopping ahead by sixty minutes. There are a number of techniques that can help prepare for a lost hour of sleep, like going to bed at an earlier hour the week preceding the spring time shift. But there are other ways to make mornings safer, too. Consider preparing for work and the morning commute the night before by packing lunch in advance and making sure everything needed for the day is ready and waiting by the door. Set a screen time limit in the evening to help promote sleep and avoid the overstimulating effects of smartphones. If you’re a coffee drinker, consider setting an automatic timer on your coffee machine so that your brew is ready when you wake up. By prioritizing a good night’s sleep and minimizing morning tasks, you take a lot of stress out of the start of your day, putting you in a better mindset for concentrating on driving.

Tip 2: Watch the weather

For many parts of the country, the March time shift coincides with the beginning of spring, and that means that while we’re all adjusting to a new sleep schedule, we also need to be prepared for turbulent driving conditions. More rain, black ice, fog from melting snow, even the occasional blizzard or squall—there’s a reason for the saying, “March comes in like a lion.”

By checking the forecast regularly, you can mentally prepare for the weather during your commute. This preparation can help you keep focused on the road when Mother Nature might otherwise surprise you with frustrating driving conditions. That’s one less thing to worry about in the dark mornings, and a great way to make sure you have everything to make it home safe after work is done. And when it comes to nice weather (spring isn’t all bad), be sure to have some sunglasses on hand for safety’s sake. 

Tip 3: Spring cleaning

In regions that experience winter, spring can be messy. Salt and slush and muddy puddles all conspire to cover your vehicle in a vision-blocking film. And that’s dangerous—studies show that reduced visibility is among the most common contributors to traffic incidents. Fortunately, a little preparation can go a long way, especially because once you’re on the road, trying to address visibility problems in a vehicle becomes an incredibly dangerous prospect.

The dark mornings from daylight saving time might make it tough to see exactly what needs to be wiped off before you hit the road, so it’s especially important to take the time before you buckle up to make sure your windshield, mirrors and cameras are all clean enough to see through, especially when the sun starts to rise, which can add a dangerous glare factor. And it’s worth wiping down these areas before driving home at the end of the day, too. A clean windshield and mirrors are essential for safety, especially in changing light conditions. Be sure to keep wiper fluid stocked and full, and double check that sensors and cameras are clear of dirt before starting the engine. 

Annual annoyances like daylight saving time are a familiar pain, but they don’t have to lead to incidents or injuries. We’re all in this together. Talk to the people in your life about how they can prepare for a safe drive after we spring forward, and share these tips in toolbox talks, one-on-one conversations or on digital displays. By helping ourselves and others drive safely in times when we know there’s an elevated risk of incidents, we make the roads a better place for everyone.

Guide to Distracted Driving Prevention

Cut Down on Driver Error

Learn how to drive distraction away and get drivers to keep their eyes (and mind) on the road.

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Why Ladder Safety Month Matters: Getting Down to the Basics

Using ladder to access rooftop

This March is National Ladder Safety Month, an initiative designed to highlight the importance of proper ladder selection and to promote the safe use of ladders. The month-long campaign is spearheaded by the American Ladder Institute and provides information, training materials and other resources to help educate people about the importance of ladder safety.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has noted a small decrease in year-over-year workplace fatalities due to ladder incidents, but falls from ladders still kill hundreds of people and cause over half a million injuries annually. And while construction and maintenance jobs have a higher portion of ladder-related issues, ladder injuries can occur in any workplace—and in any home, as ladders are one of the major causes of off-the-job injuries.

This means that safety managers in any industry are justified in reminding employees about the safe use of ladders both on and off the job. Here are a range of issues, considerations and resources to help EHS professionals craft a compelling case for ladder safety.

Causes of ladder incidents

Ladder-related incidents can be caused by a number of issues, including:

  • Setting up an extension ladder incorrectly, usually by having it at an incorrect angle
  • Using a damaged ladder
  • Choosing the wrong type of ladder for the job
  • Reaching too far while on a ladder, standing on the top cap, carrying too much on a ladder or otherwise working unsafely on a ladder

Additional risky elements—like slippery rungs or human factors—can also lead to ladder injuries. Reviewing these causes with workers in a safety meeting or toolbox talk is an effective way to remind them about the hazards of using a ladder.

Ladder safety tips

Reminding workers of what not to do on a ladder is a good start, but it’s also important to emphasize the right way to work with, on and around ladders by providing some key ladder safety tips.

Keeping these best practices relatable is important. The contents of any ladder safety conversation should account for the type of work that happens at your facility and the overall safety climate in the workplace, as well as any previous training that employees have received about ladders and working at heights. Workers will be more receptive to ladder tips if they are relevant to familiar situations.

With that said, here are some essential components of any ladder safety initiative. These can be used as talking points during informal conversations with workers or they can act as rungs in a more structured safety presentation.

Choosing the right ladder
  • Deciding between extension ladders, platform ladders and step ladders.
  • Choosing a fiberglass or aluminum ladder.
  • Knowing the weight rating of the ladder.
Ladder inspection
  • Checking for cracks, wiggly or loose rungs, or damage to rails.
  • Confirming the feet are secure.
  • Double-checking the locks and spreaders are properly engaged.
  • Focusing on how complacency can cause people to skip inspections.
Ladder setup
  • Making sure ladders are on level ground and stable.
  • Fully opening and locking spreaders.
  • Following the 4-to-1 rule for leaning ladders: for every four feet of distance between the ground and the upper point of contact, the base of the ladder should be moved one foot out from the wall.
  • Extending at least three feet above the landing area.
  • Securing the ladder whenever it’s possible to do so.
Climbing ladders safely
  • Using three points of contact.
  • Facing the ladder.
  • Carrying tools in a belt rather than holding them.
Safe ladder use
  • Never overreaching.
  • Avoiding the use of too much force.
  • Adhering to the ladder’s weight rating.
  • Monitoring environmental conditions like wind and rain.

Because ladders are such a common piece of equipment at work and around the house, many people feel like they have ladder safety down pat. And that’s why it’s so important to remind folks of these basic components of ladder safety: a high degree of comfort means that it’s easy to forget crucial safety issues.

You may also want to highlight safety considerations that are easy for even experienced ladder users to overlook, such as the importance of paying attention to power lines. And it’s worth pointing out the many distractions that could put people at risk when they work on DIY projects around the house, as well as the way that human factors like rushing or fatigue could further contribute to ladder-related injuries.

Ladder safety resources

If you need more than the basic ladder safety points outlined above, there are several great free resources for your consideration.

To mark this year’s National Ladder Safety Month, the American Ladder Institute is giving away a free ladder safety training course. It’s a great option for safety professionals who want to give employees a trustworthy plug-and-play learning opportunity that they can access on their own time.

There’s also an in-depth safety guide to working at heights that can take employees’ thinking on ladder safety to the next level. It goes beyond the basics of ladder safety and fall protection to delve into considerations like human factors, which have a surprisingly large influence on injuries when people are working on ladders or platforms.

In the end, the biggest factor in ladder safety is an employee’s individual sense of safety awareness. Use these talking points and resources to remind people about the steps they need to take to keep themselves safe every time they use a ladder. 

Guide to Falls from Heights

Safer Workers at Heights

Falls from heights is a stubborn problem—but not for the reasons you think. Here’s how to protect people working at heights.

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Shining a Light on Safety in the Age of Shadow AI

Shadow AI

Artificial intelligence is working its way into every industry, with an estimated 37% of US workers using the technology as of August 2025. It’s affecting everything from how we search on the internet to how Coca-Cola makes its commercials. And while the workplace applications for the technology are hyped up around white-collar jobs—with many office workers using it to draft reports, emails and presentations—AI is making its mark on the manufacturing sector, too.

Deloitte expects manufacturing industry AI adoption to significantly grow in the next few years, transforming everything from the back office to the front line with its specific flavor of predictive automation. The firm expects AI to help improve production by generating shift reports and work instructions, capturing legacy knowledge from retiring employees and laying the foundation for smarter physical robots that can handle high-risk or ergonomically dangerous tasks.

But before we get too excited about the possibility of a science fiction future, it’s important to take a reality check and understand something crucial: AI is already here, and whether your organization is ready or not, it is likely being used in your workplace. Shadow AI is the term for the use of artificial intelligence outside of company knowledge and frameworks. This poses obvious challenges when it comes to compliance and regulatory requirements, and it also affects safety.

Shadow AI and safety

The boom in AI adoption has caused a scramble among organizations to prepare for the massive opportunities represented by artificial intelligence and to shore up defenses against its threats. Prominent regulatory and policy bodies like ISO and NIST have meticulously mapped out the risks associated with the new technology and set forth frameworks and best practices that can keep AI from becoming a liability.

These risks include everything from AI generating false information to human factors like overconfidence playing a role in interpreting the machine output. Generative AI is prone to hallucinations, presenting fabricated details with authority, so it’s a good bet that you want workers relying on proper CPR and AED training in a cardiac emergency and not consulting a machine. And when it comes to assessing hazardous energy, a human set of eyes is still more reliable than an AI-powered machine vision application, which can struggle with complex and context-heavy environments. When an incident happens and someone gets hurt, an algorithm won’t be the one bearing the real-world consequences of an injury or fatality. This is why it’s so crucial to have transparent and well-communicated best practices for authorized AI use.

Shadow AI carries all of the risk associated with authorized AI, but it can’t be monitored, audited or verified in accordance with a company’s policies. Workers may be giving information to an unauthorized AI technology, which in turn may be influencing their actions. And that’s not something they should be blamed for: after all, just like mobile devices and email before it, AI is both a consumer technology and an enterprise technology—some people use AI 24/7, and it feels natural for them to consult a chatbot for a quick and easy response, even if doing so increases their risk of contributing to an incident or getting hurt.

Shadow AI will inevitably make its way into almost every organization, and it will increase the risk of regulatory exposure, dangerous human factors and even critical errors that cause injuries. How can an EHS professional confront this futuristic threat? One way is to treat shadow AI like a human factor.

Internal factors and outcomes

According to the SafeStart Human Factors Framework, the reliability of an outcome is dictated by the relationship between an organization and the individuals operating within. An organization’s systems inform an individual’s thoughts and internal factors, which motivate their actions. The actions of the individual are the last element that influences the outcome. When AI is deployed in an organization with proper oversight and guardrails, it is a technical system.

But shadow AI functions more like an internal factor on the individual level. When an individual consults their preferred consumer-grade chatbot before acting, their prompt and the generated output don’t leave the individual learning loop. So, if we are looking to dampen the risk caused by shadow AI, we should address it in the same way we address other internal factors like rushing or frustration.

On the simplest level, human factors training increases safety through awareness. If a worker can recognize a human factor influencing their thoughts and actions, then they can take steps to eliminate it or account for the increased risk. Even for tricky human factors like complacency, which can’t be felt in the moment it’s influencing a person’s actions, awareness is usually the biggest contributor to managing that state of being. And in order to be aware of human factors, we need to talk about them. The same goes for shadow AI.

The benefits of talking about tech

Just because it’s called shadow AI doesn’t mean you can’t bring it into the spotlight by discussing its use—and its potential consequences—with employees. By acknowledging that some folks may be using their own AI in their daily routines and encouraging them to share their experiences, you are taking the first step towards dispelling the darkness. And this has knock-on effects:

  • Stigma busting: When people regularly talk openly about an internal factor, they are less likely to hide it.
  • Demystifying: Studies show that many people are nervous about, confused by or untrusting of AI. Open and blame-free conversations about new technology can help people understand how it works, regardless of how they feel towards it. The more people know about a new technology, the better equipped we all are to manage the risk it presents.
  • Upgrading human factors conversations: Whether it’s using an app to summarize an email because you’re in a rush, having a chatbot create a report draft because you’re tired, or even feeling alienated or upset because you don’t like AI—artificial intelligence affects people’s human factors. By opening the floor to conversations about AI, you can better understand how it factors into the states of mind that affect our safety.
  • 24/7 Safety: The goal of these conversations about artificial intelligence is to limit or eliminate shadow AI from your workplace. But even if you achieve that goal, workers may still use AI at home, where they are vulnerable to the safety risks posed by chatbot use. By talking about how AI affects our thoughts, human factors and actions, you will establish a safety-focused perspective on AI that applies at home and on the road, making employees safer no matter where they are.

Whether your workplace is an early adopter or just starting to explore official uses of artificial intelligence, consider talking to workers about how and when they use AI. By taking the initiative to shine a light on the shadows, you’ll be ensuring that this new and powerful technology isn’t generating invisible dangers in your workplace.

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Recognizing Complacency: Why You Need to Act Now

Man complacent to risks in the workplace

In any given moment, it’s hard to recognize whether you’re in a state of complacency.

Here’s a quick test: ask yourself, “Am I being complacent?”

See what we did there? You’ve likely figured out by now that if you’re thinking about complacency—enough to ask yourself that question—then you’re not being complacent. But stop thinking about it and there’s a chance you’ll slip right back into a state of complacency. 

If you consider that more attention needs to be given to complacency, you’re well on your way to doing something about it for the future. At an individual level, you can predict the times you’re likely to be complacent. Driving the same route is a very common task to be complacent about and so is performing repetitive tasks in the workplace. The best way to avoid falling into the complacency trap is to change up your routine when possible. Drive a different route or make small changes to help you concentrate more on the road and break up the complacency. 

At work, when performing repetitive tasks, introduce elements of competition or some kind of reward system to make repetitive tasks more engaging. At an organizational level, it may be a case of not seeing the forest for the trees. When an organization is specifically focused on listed hazards, it can be hard to recognize what they’re not looking for. Consider doing a job safety analysis (JSA) with only complacency in mind. Break down each job into steps and identify where you might find individual or organizational complacency. Determine how to prevent complacency to control the hazards and communicate the results.

Adopt a culture of vigilance

By definition, complacency is what happens when you aren’t paying attention to the risks. Since complacency is a human factor, it influences patterns of behavior. High-reliability organizations (HROs) often strive for a persistent state of vigilance despite past success. HROs work to change the perception of complacency from something that naturally happens to something that can be prevented and can become a function of the workplace safety culture. By actively promoting awareness and proactivity to identify and mitigate risks and potential harm, organizations open the door to a collective safety effort. 

There are individual and organizational levels of complacency that influence the culture, which ultimately impact safety. Instead of accepting complacency as a fixture in your organization, make it part of the organization’s continuous improvement plan. Talk about complacency often. Once complacency becomes part of the daily conversation, it may inspire workers to let other workers know when they might be at risk of being complacent. Intentionally looking for complacency can help eliminate it.

Work on habits

A tried and tested SafeStart method for combating complacency is working on building good habits. When individuals go on autopilot or their minds are wandering and not focused on the task at hand, their habits will take over. The autopilot mode of your body moving automatically without thinking happens when you have strong muscle memory. Muscle memory is what happens when you’ve repeated an action many times, so that no conscious thought is required to continue to perform the physical action. And since most people often don’t realize they’re in a state of complacency until something bad happens, having good habits in your muscle memory is one way to ensure you stay safe when you unknowingly slip into autopilot.

Use technology for good

Automation complacency is what happens when people rely on automatic equipment or technology to do tasks without human control. And it makes sense that people who have experienced high system reliability wouldn’t be thinking about surrounding risks.

The other side of the coin shows that technology can also be just the thing you need to snap you out of a complacent mindset. For example, smartwatches and other wearable technology can monitor when you’re showing signs of fatigue and help manage the symptoms to prevent serious incidents. Setting an electronic reminder is another way technology can bring people out of a complacent haze. If you know that you’re usually complacent about the risks on your drive home, set an audible alarm to consciously pay attention to the risks of driving or use GPS to take a different route than normal. Sensors can detect deviations and provide real-time feedback, alerting workers to hazards, preventing individuals and systems from becoming complacent.

Assess your state of mind

Complacency happens when safety isn’t at the forefront of people’s minds. When you find your state of mind is consumed by other states, like rushing, frustration or fatigue, you can be more susceptible to being overcome by complacency. Thousands of people who have participated in SafeStart training identify rushing as the most common state causing their errors. Rushing can dull your senses and compromise your reflexes.  Rushing can also increase complacency. When individuals are in a rush, it’s like tunnel vision—the pressure to finish tasks quickly can cause workers to only focus on their immediate goals, potentially missing hazards or risks in the perimeter. Rushing can create frustration, which can further the level of complacency.

Frustration—often synonymous with stress, anger or annoyance—happens when things don’t go as you intended and your reaction is rash. And if you’re only seeing red, you might not notice the risks outside your frustration scope. When someone is frustrated, they may become preoccupied by their overwhelming feelings, making it harder to concentrate on the task at hand. Complacency can affect the quality of decisions that are made. Frustration can contribute to both mental and physical exhaustion, which can present itself as fatigue.

Pushing forward when you’re fatigued is another example where complacency may creep in. Most people know that fatigue impairs mental and physical performance and reduces coordination, yet they still continue to think that nothing bad will happen if they perform their regular tasks while tired. They may become less focused on details and more likely to overlook potential risks or hazards, leading to a decrease in situational awareness and an increase in complacency. Reduced alertness makes it harder to notice potential hazards and increases the likelihood of downplaying the consequences of their actions. 

Human factors can create a cycle where a certain level of complacency allows individuals to feel comfortable enough to rush or continue working when tired or frustrated, then the rushing leads to frustration, which leads to fatigue, which can add more complacency—individuals become less vigilant, more prone to errors, and ultimately more likely to underestimate risks. But addressing human factors can prevent these hazards and contribute to building a healthy safety culture where workers can see through the fog of complacency and look out for each other’s safety.

This blog post is an excerpt adapted from Fighting Familiarity: Overcoming Complacency in the Workplace. It defines complacency, discusses individual and organizational complacency, offers insights into its contributing factors, and provides a straightforward overview of what organizations can do about it. Download it to proactively reduce complacency in your workplace.

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One Major Thing That Contributes to Utility Knife Incidents

Person using a utility knife with an incident about to occur

A handful of issues always seem to factor into utility knife incidents. Using dull blades is one, and so is cutting towards the body instead of away from it. Ditto with using excessive force to cut, which can lead to employees inadvertently slicing or stabbing themselves. And that’s not to mention that cutting with too much pressure can also lead to damage of material or equipment.

Another factor is improperly storing a knife by leaving the blade exposed. So is a failure to wear safety gloves and other personal protective equipment. And while we’re at it, let’s also add a few human factors to the list. Distraction is often a factor—a worker who momentarily takes their eyes off a task is more likely to use excessive force in cutting or unintentionally change the direction of a cut. Being in a rush can also be a problem when using a knife. Same with fatigue.

If you ask any safety manager who supervises workers using utility knives, they’ll tell you that they’re well acquainted with most, if not all, of the issues mentioned above. But there’s one major contributing factor that you might not hear about, because it often flies under the radar with utility knife incidents. Complacency is a hidden human factor that can play a huge role in knife-related injuries in the workplace.

Dull awareness sharpens risk

Complacency is the phenomenon where a task becomes comfortable through repetition. Once complacency sets in, people can go on autopilot when they complete an overfamiliar task, and that causes their mind to drift or zone out when focus is required to maintain safety. Symptoms of complacency include reduced vigilance, lowered risk awareness, overconfidence and the heightened risk of making mistakes.

This makes complacency a serious concern when it comes to utility knives. Knives are a frequent-use tool, meaning that many workers pick them up and put them down countless times a day. The frequent use of utility knives causes complacency to build up, and once complacency becomes entrenched, every time a knife is used, there is an increased risk of injury.

The bad news is that there’s no simple solution to complacency, even for seemingly minor tasks like using a box cutter or other knife. Some knife-safety issues have basic solutions—a dull blade can be changed out for a new one, and hand safety strategies can be implemented to improve PPE use—but there’s no straightforward method to make complacency disappear. After all, it’s a natural brain process.

Resheathing blade complacency

Fortunately, as pointed out in the guide Fighting Familiarity: Overcoming Complacency in the Workplace, there are several ways that safety professionals can mitigate the effects of complacency:

  • Awareness training is a great strategy, helping workers to better understand how complacency functions and why it’s important to deal with it.
  • Habit-building can take that knowledge and put it into practice by giving workers a safer baseline for when they fall under the spell of complacency.
  • Teaching supervisors to be more proactive with complacency and other EHS issues can help provide an additional safety net for when this human factor strikes a member of their team.

All of those anti-complacency measures can help with other utility knife safety problems as well. A safety-conscious supervisor will be more likely to notice a worker isn’t wearing safety gloves and will also have the communication skills to positively intervene and correct the issue. Stronger habits can contribute to better PPE compliance and can also reduce the frequency of putting down knives when the blade is exposed. Meanwhile, comprehensive human factors training can combat distraction, rushing and a host of other mental and physical states along with complacency.

The initial step, though, is for safety managers to recognize the hidden role that complacency plays in utility knife injuries. Because what might seem like a basic problem with knife blades or a lack of gloves could be compounded by this stealthy human factor. Complacency can turn a near-miss with a knife into a small cut. Or it can turn a small cut into a serious laceration. And in order for safety folks to do something about all these utility knife safety problems, they need to first recognize just how much of it is caused or made worse by complacency.

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4 Safety Tips to Stay Alive in the Dead of Winter

Worker clearing snow in the dead of winter

Winter weather is becoming increasingly unpredictable. Sudden temperature swings, freezing rain and heavy snowfall can catch workers and organizations off guard, forcing people to adapt quickly in environments that are already unforgiving. Cold weather doesn’t just challenge equipment and infrastructure—frozen doors and slippery roads—it affects the way people think and the human factors that influence their actions.

If you live in a cold part of the country, you’re among a large group of people who are likely sick of winter already—and that frustration is just one of the human factors we need to watch out for in the icy days before the springtime light at the end of the tunnel. Nearly 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by mid-February, and it’s a good bet that our winter safety habits are getting a little shaky, too. 

The good news? A few well-timed reminders about winter safety best practices can make a real difference. Here are four safety tips to help you make it safely through the dead of winter.

Tip #1: Slow down

When the weather is cold, dark and uncomfortable, the urge to rush is almost automatic. People take shortcuts to get out of the elements faster—skipping walkarounds, hurrying across icy surfaces, or cutting corners while clearing snow. Hurrying through a task narrows attention and increases the likelihood of errors and incidents. Whether it’s shoveling a driveway, exiting a vehicle or moving across a worksite, slowing down is one of the simplest and most effective winter safety strategies.

The same principle applies behind the wheel. Winter driving conditions make braking, turning and merging more difficult, especially when roads are slick or visibility is reduced. Driving too fast on winter-afflicted roads—even if it feels normal—can dramatically increase the severity of an incident.

Encouraging workers to take extra time, reduce speed and mentally reset before winter tasks helps counteract the pressure to rush and supports safer decisions when conditions are least forgiving. In the cold and icy months, slowing down can actually prevent delays, especially when safety is on the line.

Tip #2: Bundle up

Cold stress is often underestimated, especially by experienced workers who “have seen worse.” Frostbite and hypothermia don’t require extreme conditions to develop, and overconfidence is a poor substitute for proper winter PPE. In fact, frostbite can occur in as little as 30 minutes when windchill drops to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and hypothermia can even take hold indoors. The risk of these maladies increases when people misjudge exposure time or push through discomfort to get a task done faster.

From a safety culture standpoint, providing proper winter clothing and PPE can do more than protect against the cold—they reduce the desire to hurry and curb exhaustion. Insulated gloves, waterproof boots, hard hat liners and layered clothing help workers stay comfortable, maintain dexterity and keep their focus on the task at hand. When people are cold, they’re far more likely to take shortcuts, get distracted or succumb to frustration. But if folks bundle up, they can keep control over those risky human factors that come with dampness and cold.

Tip #3: Take stock

By the time January rolls around, most people have already logged plenty of winter driving. If nothing has gone wrong, it’s easy to assume everything is fine—but that’s exactly when complacency can set in. Vehicle inspections, emergency kits and basic winter preparations often get overlooked as familiarity replaces caution. Unfortunately, winter road conditions don’t forgive those lapses, and small oversights can quickly escalate into serious incidents.

Research consistently shows that slick road surfaces and reduced visibility are among the most common contributors to winter vehicle incidents. Taking stock means checking more than just tires and batteries—it means ensuring drivers are mentally prepared, emergency supplies are accessible and basic safety habits haven’t slipped. Encouraging regular walkarounds, reviewing emergency kits and refreshing winter driving expectations can put safety front of mind so that workers can steer clear of seasonal hazards when the rubber meets the road.

Tip #4: Get out

Winter has a way of pushing people indoors. Shorter days, cold temperatures and slippery conditions often lead to less movement, less sunlight and more sedentary routines. Over time, that can take a toll on both physical and mental health. Fatigue, reduced strength and depression are all human factors that increase the likelihood of errors and injuries—both on and off the job.

Getting outside, even briefly, can help counteract these effects. Exposure to daylight supports vitamin D levels, which play a crucial role in maintaining bone, heart, and mental health, as well as overall well-being. Light physical activity—even a short walk in the winter sun—helps maintain fitness, reduces fatigue and improves focus. Encouraging workers to stay active during the winter months supports resilience, alertness and safer performance when conditions are toughest.

Winter safety messages are most effective when they’re shared early and often. These tips don’t need to live in a blog alone—they’re ideal for toolbox talks, safety meetings or digital displays. Small reminders to slow down, bundle up, take stock and get out can help workers recognize the human factors that quietly increase risk during the winter months. So don’t keep these ideas to yourself. Use them to spark conversations, reinforce habits and remind everyone that winter safety isn’t just about weather—it’s about people. With the right awareness and a few well-timed adjustments, we can all navigate the dead of winter safely.

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3 New Year’s Resolutions for Safety Professionals

New Year's resolutions

New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be restricted to personal improvements. While some people are making plans to change their diet, adopt a new fitness routine or read more books this year, EHS folks of all stripes can choose instead to make gains in their professional life.

Setting a health and safety-focused resolution can be the first step in strengthening workplace safety culture, learning to better manage human factors or investing in the growth of your own career. To that end, here are three New Year’s safety resolutions that will help safety professionals up their game—and keep more people safe.

Focus on safety climate, not on safety culture

Safety culture is a slippery concept. If you ask ten EHS professionals to define what safety culture is, there’s a decent chance that you’ll get ten different answers. Because it can be so hard to pin down what safety culture means, many people in the industry end up with partial or makeshift understandings of safety culture. And if safety pros can be inconsistent with how they view safety culture then just imagine how challenging it must be for the average worker to get a grasp on the concept.

The most straightforward definition of safety culture is that it’s the way things are done around the workplace. How often and thoroughly are near-miss reports filled out? How engaging are pre-shift toolbox talks? How consistently is PPE used? All of these things are part of safety culture.

This means that, as columnist Ray Prest notes, safety culture is “the result of established procedures and processes, the efficacy of training plans, the strengths and weaknesses of supervisors as well as the individual abilities and mental states of a whole bunch of workers, plus many other factors. It’s a classic example of the sum being equal to the parts, and then some.”

Clearly, even the simplest definition of safety culture is complex. So this year, resolve to focus on safety climate instead of safety culture. At its core, safety climate is the way things are done today. While culture is large, amorphous and hard to influence, climate is the exact opposite. A safety professional who focuses on climate rather than culture asks themselves: “What positive influence can I have on my workplace today?” They don’t worry about trying to shift the entire company’s safety view. Instead, they concentrate on what they can do in the moment.

This year, resolve to consistently focus on safety climate, because the cumulative impact of daily actions can add up quite significantly—to the point where the larger safety culture starts to change for the better.

Learn about managing human factors

One of the major conundrums of medicine is that very few people ever intentionally get sick. At the same time, medical professionals can plainly tell when people’s actions and habits are contributing factors to an illness. As a result, many doctors practice preventative medicine. They know that there’s no use blaming someone for getting sick, but offering advice on things a patient can do to avoid future maladies helps lower everyone’s risk of illness.

The same is true of workplace safety. No one wants to be injured at work, so it’s incumbent on safety managers to give employees the skills and awareness they need to reduce the risk of incidents. That’s where human factors management comes in.

In most incidents, a person’s mental or physical state is a contributing factor. As one example, research has shown that human factors are a leading cause of slips, trips and falls. A worker can successfully navigate a wet floor if they’re paying attention. But someone who is tired or distracted can trip over their own feet, even when in the absence of other environmental hazards. Teaching employees how to manage these mental and physical human factors can go a long way to reducing both the number and severity of workplace incidents.

But it can be hard to start managing human factors from scratch, especially for safety professionals who have a full workload without the added burden of researching best practices for human factors training. This is why the ideal human factors-related resolution is also easy to achieve. This year, resolve to talk to someone with experience in human factors management, whether it’s a safety consultant, a training vendor or a safety professional who has already implemented a human factors management process at their facility.

It costs nothing to talk, and it’s a good first step to learn about what’s required to effectively manage human factors in your workplace.

Invest in your own skills

Successful safety careers don’t just happen. They take hard work, dedication and planning. Most seasoned safety professionals have the hard work and dedication part taken care of. But they’re often so busy that they forget about the need to plan the next step in their career or to invest in their own skills.

The EHS Careers Guide provides a 16-point self-audit of your personal knowledge and abilities. It’s a great way to identify where you excel and where you might need improvement. It could also help you recognize areas where your strengths are being underutilized in your current role. Additionally, the guide offers a number of practical tips and tricks to boost your capabilities so that you can bring the best version of yourself to your current role—or can make yourself more appealing to a future employer.

This year, resolve to focus on your own career. Whether you’re looking to change jobs or you’re happily entrenched at a company you love, it’s never a bad idea to plot out your career path to make sure you’re heading to (or are already in) the right place—and to make sure that you’ve developed the skills and know-how to match.

These aren’t the only New Year’s resolutions that are available for safety professionals. From helping others build habits to attending more safety conferences, the only limit is your imagination and your ability to make it happen. Whatever you resolve this year, know that your focus on professional improvements can make a real difference in both your own career and in the health and safety of others.

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5 Reasons to Help Others Build Habits This Year

High fives for achievements in the workplace

At the start of a new year, people often experience the “fresh start effect,” a phenomenon where individuals are more motivated to make positive lifestyle changes at a specific, even symbolic moment.

However, this phenomenon can also be a hindrance to getting started with a New Year’s resolution. When people wait for the “right” time to start, it actually serves as an excuse to procrastinate. This leads to many people thinking they’d change their behavior for the better in the new year, only to put off starting to be better until Monday, January 5.

The fresh start effect also sets up unrealistic expectations. Waiting for the exact right moment to start can create the mindset that we need to be perfect in how we implement a change. 

All of this can lead to hesitations and delays in taking the first step. After that, it can lead to giving up entirely. Which can have real consequences if your resolution is safety-related.

Since New Year’s resolutions have such a high failure rate, this year we’re challenging people to help others build new habits. Taking the pressure off your own success (or failure) and focusing on helping others can actually benefit you more than you might think. When you make a point to help others work on new habits, New Year’s resolutions have a much better chance of sticking.  

At SafeStart, we like to think of resolutions as opportunities to build new habits. As mentioned in our How to Make Habits Stick guide, fewer than 10% of people achieve their goals when trying to create new habits. That number does not exactly inspire people to put in the work required to make a beneficial action second nature. But the good news is that we’ve seen many people successfully make positive changes when working on creating new habits, as long as they take the right approach. And you can be part of that success by helping others on their habit-building journeys.

Here are five reasons why you should help others practice their habits this year.

#1—It helps you pick a habit to work on.

The fresh start effect can create pressure to make a monumental change, which in turn can make it hard to choose a resolution or habit to work on. Or if you’ve previously worked on habits—as is regular practice in SafeStart—it can be hard to break from reveling in your accomplishment by selecting a new habit that may be harder to adopt. It can also be challenging to think of another new habit for yourself to work on.

Thankfully, there’s good news. By helping others with their habits, it’s easier to see the benefits that the new routine could have on you. This can motivate you to practice the same habit for your own gain, or it could inspire you to work on something similar that applies to your day-to-day life.

#2—Helping others can make you happy!

Sheryl Crow said it best: “If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad.”

It feels good to be productive. And even though you’re not building your own habits, by helping someone else to build good habits, you get that same satisfaction of a job well done. Feeling useful has a strong link to happiness.

Acts of kindness are known to release oxytocin and dopamine, giving you the “helper’s high,” which not only strengthens your relationships with other people but also leads to your own personal contentment and well-being.

#3—You learn while they learn.

The protégé effect—the phenomenon where teaching others helps you retain more information—also applies when helping people build new habits. When helping someone work on their new habit, you want to ensure you’re giving them the right information. That motivates you to conduct research to ensure you’ve filled any knowledge gaps, in turn helping you to better retain information going forward.

When you help someone break down their habit into manageable steps, you also anticipate the challenges and understand the principles of the habit. This can also help you tap into techniques you’ve previously used for your own habit-building that you may have forgotten.

#4—It increases your personal accountability.

If you’ve set New Year’s resolutions before and failed or tried to create new habits and abandoned them, subconsciously, you’ll remember giving up. It could be one of the reasons you don’t want to attempt a new resolution. When you keep your habit-building private, you’re only accountable to yourself. And more often than not, it’s that nagging voice in your head that says, “No one will notice if I stop,” that allows you to ditch the effort.

But helping someone else work on a habit is a strong motivator to work on your own. Distance can provide clarity—it’s much easier to point out what someone else needs to do to succeed than to recognize the same factors in yourself. Helping someone achieve their goals can inspire you to put your own habit-achieving intentions into motion. If someone else can achieve the goal they set for themselves, why can’t you? The answer is that you can, and you’re more likely to hold yourself accountable when you’ve helped someone do the very thing you want to achieve.

#5—It creates an accountability group.

If someone has agreed to make their habit-building public and is allowing you to help them achieve their new habit, they were likely looking for external accountability. By helping others with their habits, you’ll not only increase your personal accountability, as the previous point discussed, but you can also inspire others around you to do the same. You can grow your accountability group by asking the person you’re helping to return the favor. You can also ask other people to help keep you accountable, too. In essence, you’re creating a habit-building support system where you keep each other responsible. And having someone else (especially a group of people) holding you to your intentions makes it harder to justify not following through on your habit-building steps.

Now that we’ve given you five good reasons to help others build new habits, you may want help with the particulars. Check out our Helping Others Build New Habits guide, which contains an example of a daily checklist for helping the habit-building stay on track. It’s an incredibly useful resource to have at hand as you embark on helping others establish new habits this year.

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