Listening Skills Are Important to Safety Success

By Jeff Lee, Director of Safety Education & Trainingg

Are you really sure you heard what was just said to you? Do you understand the details of the direction that was given? Can you fully (and safely) complete the task without missing something?

Much of the credit for being able to answer "Yes!" to these questions is directly related to your ability to listen and process the direction given to you. Therefore, to safely accomplish a task, we need to listen, but also to question details when something could be confusing or misunderstood. During accident investigations, there have been instances where what an individual thinks he heard was not the same direction as what the communicator thought he was saying. Everyone on the team can always listen better and communicate more effectively.

Take this story, for example. Miss Staci, a fifth-grade teacher in a rural farming community, asked her class to create a single sentence using the words: Decal, Defense, Defeat and Detail. Sounds simple, right? Miss Staci called on the first student who raised their hand, and they answered: "Da-cow jumped over da-fence ... da-feet before da-tail!"

"Hmm," Miss Staci thought as she smiled at the class. "This exercise sounded simple, but did I miss some de-tails?"

That may be a silly example, but many times directions seem clear when they are given, yet they are misunderstood.

How about these everyday examples:

• "Please move the truck." Did you say where it should be moved to? If not, the truck could end up where a load of stone is being delivered.
• "Head down the road to the last stop sign and make a left; the job is ahead on the right." The driver thinks: Where exactly is the "last" stop sign? I seem to keep finding more as I continue to drive. And how far ahead? And what are the names of each road?
• "Protect your eyes when cutting that pipe with a chop saw." But I was wearing my Oakleys®. I didn't know that there was a special kit filled with PPE to fully protect my face and body.

The good news is that there are ways to avoid these misunderstandings. First, stop what you are doing so you can pay attention to the directions given — even if that means taking notes so you don't miss anything. Then, before jumping into the task, take a moment to think through what was said; if you have any doubts, ask for clarification. Being humble enough to ask questions in front of your peers will only ensure that the task is done efficiently and safely. Try repeating the instruction back to the person in your own words. It really does help.

Also, it is important to understand that if you are the one giving the directions, you take the time to pre-plan, script and even rehearse what you want to say. It may seem silly to "practice," but it will make sure that what comes out of your mouth is accurate and precise to accomplishing the task. Bad directions normally yield bad results. Precise directions create a less stressful workplace, and more things usually get done correctly — the first time.