What Is A Take Five?

Everyone agrees that safety in the workplace is important. And yet everyday shortcuts in safety are often taken to get jobs done faster, or safety is compromised due to work activities being so ingrained in our day-to-day work that we forget or dismiss the need to check for potential safety hazards.

A 'take five' is an informal pre-task risk assessment which reminds us of the simple things that our brain tends to forget. A 'take five' is used to prompt us to stop and take a moment to assess the situation and our immediate work environment.

In its most basic form, a 'take five' forces us to ask "am I safe to start the task?".

Step 1: STOP AND THINK
Scope and plan the task.

Step 2: IDENTIFY
Identify the hazards involved.

Step 3: ASSESS
Assess the level of risk.

Step 4: CONTROL
Use the appropriate controls.

Step 5: PROCEED
When all hazards have been adequately controlled, proceed with the task.