A shortcut is a quicker or easier way to do a job without following a safe work procedure required to prevent injury. A shortcut can lead to injury and property damage. Shortcuts like these can be deadly:
• Walking through a traffic area in the yard instead of sticking to established pedestrian routes
• Entering a confined space without putting on the right respiratory protection
• Not performing a TSTI because you’ve done that job before
• Failing to put on a seatbelt for a short motor vehicle trip across the base
• “Bunny hopping” a ladder instead of climbing down and shifting it
• Jumping down from a truck or piece of heavy equipment instead of using 3-points of contact
• Using the wrong tool for the job because you don’t have the patience to stop and retrieve the appropriate one
• Climbing a column or some other structure to move between levels instead of finding the correct ladder
• Using a chemical without checking the label and Material Safety Data Sheet for precautions and instructions
• Teaching a new employee bad work practices
• Going through a hole in a fence instead of going around to the gate
• Laying a piece of plywood over a hole in a floor instead of properly barricading and covering the opening
It is always worth taking the time and effort to do the job correctly, with all the recommended safeguards.