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<td><a href="https://misportal.jlab.org/ll/index.jsf?function=view&lessonId=1024">Safety Award Presented for Employee Recognizing and Attempting to Solve Sign Blindness</a></td>
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<h2 style="white-space:nowrap">Statement of Lessons Learned</h2>
<pre>Many areas at Jefferson Lab have at least one hazard requiring a posted safety sign. Because most area's hazards never change, workers learn to abide by the rules and the signs fade into the background. When activities in these areas change, increasing the hazard level in the area, the signs are switched to reflect the higher hazard. If the new signs look similar to the old, it is recognized that there is a high potential that workers will experience "sign blindness."</pre>
<h2 style="white-space:nowrap">Discussion of Activities</h2>
<pre>Several areas at Jefferson Lab are used for a multiple activities. It is typical to provide notification of hazards on the doors so workers are aware prior to entry. Recently an area in Building 08 was scheduled to perform activities that would periodically raise its typical Oxygen Deficiency Hazard (ODH) Level from 1 to ODH Level 2. To notify workers when the activity was being performed, and when additional mitigation was required, magnetic ODH Level 2 signage was purchased for posting on the door.
When posting the ODH2 signs the Safety Warden noticed that the typical ODH1 and the new ODH2 looked very similar (see Attachment 1). He was concerned that workers, who regularly worked in the area, would be "sign-blind" to the upgrade and enter the room without the appropriate mitigation.
To increase awareness the Safety Warden purchased small magnetic blinking LED lights to use when the room was posted at the higher level (see Attachment 2). This would give workers a distraction so they would notice the changed sign and take appropriate precautions. </pre>
<h2 style="white-space:nowrap">Analysis</h2>
<pre>Sign blindness occurs where people get used to seeing the same signs day in and day out. The required activity become a habit and the signs ceases to register. Knowing what the sign says and what the color means leads to muscle memory or auto-habit.
Comparing the differences in the ODH1 and ODH2 signs, the safety warden was concerned that workers in the area would be "sign blind." The two signs were the same color, had the same CAUTION header, and from a distance appeared so similar that there was a concern that workers, accustom to the normal ODH1 posting, would likely not register the change nor alter their typical behavior.</pre>
<h2 style="white-space:nowrap">Recommended Actions</h2>
<pre>The Safety Warden was presented a Jefferson Lab Safety Incentive Award, including a monetary payout, for recognizing the concern and proactively initiating an inexpensive means to increase safety awareness which is efficient and effective.</pre>
<h2 style="white-space:nowrap">JLab Preventive Measures</h2>
<pre></pre>
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<h2>Comments</h2>
<h5 style="white-space:nowrap">9/20/2017 9:00:39 AM by Bailey, Mary Jo</h5>
<pre>Submitted to those with MED13: ODH-2 & RESPIRATOR MEDICAL CERTIFICATION</pre>
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<legend>Summary</legend>
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<td class="label" nowrap>Lesson ID:</td>
<td class="dataval">1024</td>
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<tr class="row">
<td class="label" nowrap>Status:</td>
<td class="dataval">OK</td>
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<tr class="row">
<td class="label" nowrap>Doc ID:</td>
<td class="dataval"></td>
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<td class="label" nowrap>Priority:</td>
<td class="dataval">Info</td>
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<td class="label" nowrap>Safety Related:</td>
<td class="dataval">YES</td>
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<tr class="row">
<td class="label" nowrap>Originator:</td>
<td class="dataval">Bailey, Mary Jo</td>
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<tr class="row">
<td class="label" nowrap>Issued:</td>
<td class="dataval">9/20/2017 8:52:33 AM</td>
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<tr class="row">
<td class="label" nowrap>Approved By:</td>
<td class="dataval">Bailey, Mary Jo</td>
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<tr class="row">
<td class="label" nowrap>Approved On:</td>
<td class="dataval">9/20/2017 9:00:39 AM</td>
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<td class="label">Source:</td>
<td class="dataval">
TJNAF Other
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<td class="label" nowrap>Location:</td>
<td class="dataval">TJNAF</td>
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<td class="label" nowrap>Cost Savings:</td>
<td class="dataval"></td>
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<td class="label" nowrap>Contact:</td>
<td class="dataval">Roland Evans, Safety Warden for Cryo Department</td>
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<td class="label" nowrap>Queued Emails:</td>
<td class="dataval">259</td>
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<td class="label" nowrap>Sent Emails:</td>
<td class="dataval">0</td>
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<td class="label" nowrap>Viewings:</td>
<td class="dataval">1 times</td>
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<legend>Attachments</legend>
<a name="attachments"></a>
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<li><a target="_blank" href="https://misportal.jlab.org/ll/downloadAttachment?attachmentId=4959">20170912_093526.jpg</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="downloadAttachment?attachmentId=4960">Sign Blind Magnetic Lights.jpg</a></li>
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</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<legend>Hazard Issues</legend>
<ul class="lesson_attribute_listing">
<li>Oxygen Deficiency Hazards (ODH)</li>
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<legend>Skills</legend>
<ul class="lesson_attribute_listing">
<li>MED13: ODH-2 & RESPIRATOR MEDICAL CERTIFICATION</li>
</ul>
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<fieldset>
<legend>Distribution/Notification</legend>
<ul class="lesson_attribute_listing">
<li>*Division Safety Officers (DSOs)</li>
<li>*Safety Wardens</li>
<li>*DOE Notification</li>
<li>*ESH&Q Liaisons</li>
</ul>
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Do you have a lesson learned you would like to contribute? Contact the <a href="mailto:cjohnson@jlab.org,sjsmith@jlab.org,mbailey@jlab.org">Lesson Learned Coordinator</a>.