AÑO 2014 – N° 15

HOW IMPORTANT IS SEQUENCE IN A TASK?

Every task we perform has a sequence or set of steps to complete the task. Some tasks

require a step to be completed before it is physically possible to move to the next step.

Others may physically allow steps to be out of sequence or allow them to be completed

simultaneous. This can be a time saver and often why we move out of sequence but what if

working out of sequence increased the risk of serious injury or fatality?

Sometimes working out of sequence can place a person in the line of fire. For example

when replacing haul truck tires, the hardware and rim components should be installed

before full air is applied to the tire. This ensures the parts are secure before applying full

pressure to reduce the risk of the hardware flying off and hitting employees. It also allows

the employee to move away from the tire and out of the line of fire while it is being aired up.

In a chemical lab or processing plant when mixing chemicals, a proper sequence is not only

needed for proper chemistry but also in some cases to avoid a chemical reaction that could

be life-threatening to the person doing the work and others in the area.

So how do you know if sequence is important in the work you perform every day?

� A task risk review of high risks tasks will identify the risks as well as the sequence required to perform the work safely.

� Where a specific sequence is required identifying controls that can be utilized to ensure that the order is followed will give better reliability to the task being performed correctly.

� Training on the proper sequence that allows you to practice the steps in order will ensure understanding and adherence to the steps in the procedure.

� Reviewing a standard operating procedure (SOP) prior to doing any new task and periodically to remind of the proper sequence will help avoid a potential missed step or change in the order of the task.

� Conducting a pre-task risk assessment or job safety analysis (JSA) will get the crew on the same page before starting the work and identify areas where a person has forgotten or over time changed the order of steps in a task that could have resulted in serious injury or fatality.

� Periodically an experienced operator/mechanic, supervisor, or safety professional

AÑO 2014 – N° 15

should observe high risks tasks and compare it back to the SOP or work procedure to help the work crew identify where the task steps are not in line with the steps and the sequence required for safety.

In short:

“To prevent serious injury or fatality it is important to have proper training in the

sequence of a task, to practice this sequence to ensure it is understood and can be

repeated and to periodically check the process to re-calibrate and ensure the SOP or

procedure is still being followed as necessary for safe production”