October 09 2016
By: Terry L. Mathis
Recent developments in neuroscience have made numerous contributions to safety. One was simply verifying something we have already concluded through practice and observation. We have learned that our eyes do not simply scan and see everything in view, but rather our brain literally sends our eyes out on missions to look for what we think should be there.
This means the brain can be programmed to look for safety issues. If we program ourselves to look for generic categories of risks, our eyes learn to recognize them in all their forms. Rules and procedures tend to be very specific. Organizations that get good at this specific type of safety can get to the next level by using these more generic categories of risks in programs such as behavior-based safety and supervisory safety coaching.
Terry Mathis, Founder and retired CEO of ProAct Safety, has served as a consultant and advisor for top organizations the world over. A respected strategist and thought leader, Terry has authored five books, numerous articles, videos and blogs, and is known for his dynamic and engaging presentations. EHS Today has named him one of the '50 People Who Most Influenced EHS' four consecutive times. Business leaders and safety professionals seek Terry's practical insight and unique ability to introduce new perspectives that lead to real change.
