Communication Problems that Cause Mishaps

sleeping days, you will probably experience fa- tigue. The results of fatigue vary from person to person, but fatigue always reduces your mental alertness, increasing the chances of a mishap occurring. Motion Sickness Anything that hinders your normal alert behavior can cause a mishap. Motion sickness can weaken, distract, disorient, and cause you severe nausea. In the early stages of motion sickness, you may experience a decrease in responsiveness and mental alertness. These symptoms may increase carelessness, which can lead to a mishap. Your reduced mental alertness will degrade your decision-making abilities. This, in turn, can increase your chances of having a mishap. As motion sickness progresses, you may be drowsy and have cold sweats and nausea. COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE MISHAPS Mishaps can occur when there is a breakdown in the passing, receiving, or understanding of information. The most common communication problem is misunderstanding the message being sent to you. Your brain reacts to what it thinks it hears, not necessarily what it hears. Mishaps can also stem from language barriers. You can’t understand a message if the person sending the message doesn’t speak clearly enough. EQUIPMENT DESIGN FACTORS THAT CAUSE MISHAPS Poorly designed equipment and improperly placed controls can cause mishaps. Controls that can’t be reached quickly and easily, emergency controls pro- tected by cumbersome interlocks, and displays that are difficult to read are examples of design problems that can cause mishaps. Now, refer to the Navy Occupa- tional Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19, and read chapter A6. Also read enclosure (4) Afloat Safety Program (OPNAVINST 5100.21). The information contained in these publications will enhance your knowledge of the overall Mishap Prevention Program. MISHAP PREVENTION Why is mishap prevention necessary? Because the product of the Navy is national defense, the quality of your performance must be far superior to that of any potential adversary. The Navy’s business is deadly serious. It’s conducted by professionals, re- stricted to limited resources, and allows no room for waste. Mishaps produce waste. Therefore, when mishaps are reduced, waste is reduced, and readiness is improved. The Navy also considers your safety to be as important as productivity. Unlike most civilian businesses whose safety efforts are directed at reducing on-the-job mishaps, Navy mishap prevention efforts give you complete coverage, both on and off the job, regardless of your duty status, location, or mission. Mishap prevention is a vital part of your job. By preventing mishaps, you avoid injury to yourself and damage to your equipment. When you think of mishaps, you probably think of deaths. But in 1991, aboard ships and submarines and ashore, for every death, there were 111 mishaps that resulted in equipment damage or personal injury. Mishap prevention is the process of eliminating mishap-producing causes. The goal of the Navy’s mishap prevention program is to prevent mishaps from occurring or, once they have occurred, to prevent them from recurring, The Navy’s mishap prevention program consists of activities directed to eliminate (1) unsafe acts of persons, and (2) unsafe mechanical, physical, or chemical working conditions. The best way to prevent mishaps is to eliminate the factors that lead to mishaps. This can involve anything from a minute of extra effort by you that costs nothing to lengthy planning and work by many people at considerable cost. It all depends on the nature of the unsafe condition. The authority to correct an unsafe condition may involve any level of the chain of command. The following four avenues are available to you. 1. Order correction where authority permits. If you have the authority to do so, don’t delay ordering unsafe conditions corrected. Delay means exposure of other people to the unsafe condition. If you’re uncertain about the best correction method, talk to your supervisor immediately. 2. Report conditions to higher authority. If you don’t have the authority to correct the unsafe conditions, then promptly report the hazardous or 1-8