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The deadline crunch!
The deadline crunch! CH&S Netways
Y
ears ago there was a comic strip that provided a rather dark humor approach to the ‘‘deadline’’. The cartoon depicted the chalk or tape line that police or forensics specialists use to outline the body at the crime scene. As indicated this is rather a dark approach to the meaning of the word. Yet, there is finality to that line. Each of us is faced with deadlines and they come in a number of forms. Some are more flexible than others – some have a finality about them that we as chemical health and safety professionals need to keep in front of us at all times. Deadlines can be beneficial and they can be harmful as well. Deadlines put stress on individuals and organizations. Chemical health and safety professionals should ask, ‘‘What types of individual deadlines are there?’’ For those of you in the laboratory environment (not necessarily in a teaching one) there are reports such as chemical inventories, waste reports, timing for shortterm waste storage, etc. There are a number of regulatory deadlines associated with the reporting of spills, follow-up reports, and repair time periods depending on your specific environment. Couple these regulatory issues with your general corporate, or academic deadlines and the pressures mount. What happens when pressures mount? People become overwhelmed, stressed, loose focus, and potentially make mistakes. Hopefully, those mistakes are paper ones and not something more hazardous like mixing the wrong materials together, improperly disposing of a solvent, or providing the wrong instructions. These stresses are potential hazards that must be evaluated in the work place. They need
1871-5532/$32.00 doi:10.1016/j.jchas.2007.03.011
to be monitored. This stress leads to inattentiveness and carelessness. It is like being late for an appointment and you are 15 miles away – think of the risks that people take driving because they are late. Better to be late and safe rather than be permanently unavailable. Yet, deadlines are positive as well. They provide focus, prioritization, and some positive stress. As one quote says ‘‘nothing makes someone more productive than a deadline’’. It may be true to a degree – but for those who teach, you know the work might be done, but what about the quality? The interesting thing is deadlines do force a person and organizations into action. The trick is channeling that action in a positive manner. So, why this focus on deadlines? And, what exactly is the point? The fundamental issue is human behavior and its drivers. The idea behind the concept of a deadline is a fixed point in time when something needs to be accomplished. It is a perfect example of how human behavior approaches something as fundamental as safety. The deadline is a driver and provides focus yet if the stress gets too great can produce unintended results. This concept can be used as a teaching tool and can bring home the issue of safety. It also demonstrates – how distractions and risky behavior can impact each one of us, and others around us. Spring fever, anticipation of vacations, and completing projects – all have similar impacts on safety. A person’s mind is not on what they are doing. A person is not focused on the task at hand. And, a person weighs risk differently in different situations. The key to safety is recognizing the hazard and over the next couple of months – that hazard may be ourselves.
ß Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
41
Y
ears ago there was a comic strip that provided a rather dark humor approach to the ‘‘deadline’’. The cartoon depicted the chalk or tape line that police or forensics specialists use to outline the body at the crime scene. As indicated this is rather a dark approach to the meaning of the word. Yet, there is finality to that line. Each of us is faced with deadlines and they come in a number of forms. Some are more flexible than others – some have a finality about them that we as chemical health and safety professionals need to keep in front of us at all times. Deadlines can be beneficial and they can be harmful as well. Deadlines put stress on individuals and organizations. Chemical health and safety professionals should ask, ‘‘What types of individual deadlines are there?’’ For those of you in the laboratory environment (not necessarily in a teaching one) there are reports such as chemical inventories, waste reports, timing for shortterm waste storage, etc. There are a number of regulatory deadlines associated with the reporting of spills, follow-up reports, and repair time periods depending on your specific environment. Couple these regulatory issues with your general corporate, or academic deadlines and the pressures mount. What happens when pressures mount? People become overwhelmed, stressed, loose focus, and potentially make mistakes. Hopefully, those mistakes are paper ones and not something more hazardous like mixing the wrong materials together, improperly disposing of a solvent, or providing the wrong instructions. These stresses are potential hazards that must be evaluated in the work place. They need
1871-5532/$32.00 doi:10.1016/j.jchas.2007.03.011
to be monitored. This stress leads to inattentiveness and carelessness. It is like being late for an appointment and you are 15 miles away – think of the risks that people take driving because they are late. Better to be late and safe rather than be permanently unavailable. Yet, deadlines are positive as well. They provide focus, prioritization, and some positive stress. As one quote says ‘‘nothing makes someone more productive than a deadline’’. It may be true to a degree – but for those who teach, you know the work might be done, but what about the quality? The interesting thing is deadlines do force a person and organizations into action. The trick is channeling that action in a positive manner. So, why this focus on deadlines? And, what exactly is the point? The fundamental issue is human behavior and its drivers. The idea behind the concept of a deadline is a fixed point in time when something needs to be accomplished. It is a perfect example of how human behavior approaches something as fundamental as safety. The deadline is a driver and provides focus yet if the stress gets too great can produce unintended results. This concept can be used as a teaching tool and can bring home the issue of safety. It also demonstrates – how distractions and risky behavior can impact each one of us, and others around us. Spring fever, anticipation of vacations, and completing projects – all have similar impacts on safety. A person’s mind is not on what they are doing. A person is not focused on the task at hand. And, a person weighs risk differently in different situations. The key to safety is recognizing the hazard and over the next couple of months – that hazard may be ourselves.
ß Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
41