Memorial Day is an important holiday in America. It is a day for us to remember those who have fallen in the service of our country. It also serves as the unofficial kick-off of summer. In the lead-up to Memorial Day, you no doubt saw news reports and Facebook posts asking us to consider potential holiday dangers as we celebrate with our family and friend. It’s always a good idea to plan ahead for safe and efficient celebrations, but we are seldom asked, “How did it do? Any areas for improvement?”
We thought it might be good to do a Post-job review using the REMEDY human performance method of TOAST (Traps, Organizational Weaknesses, Additions, Simplify, and Tools) since human performance can be used everywhere!
Traps not identified: Any number of traps could be present over a long holiday weekend. Did we fall into the trap of Time Pressure after losing some time to holiday traffic? Was peer pressure at work as you tried to outdrink your bragging brother-in-law? How about the trap of Multi-tasking? Did we try to run the grilling operation AND watch the little ones as they took to their first swim of the season?
Organizational or system issues (LOWs): Are the coolers or refrigerators able to keep the unprepared food at a safe temperature? Did we check the condition of the grill and propane well before it was time to cook in case repairs or replacements were needed?
Additional equipment, resources, or error defenses that would have improved performance: Were the tongs and spatula available on the beach, or did we have to improvise? Did we take advantage of services like Uber that could help some of our friends make it home safely?
Simplify the process: Did we encourage good food handling and preparation by making hand wash and sanitary wipes readily available? Was sunscreen or bug spray handy so it could be easily applied throughout the day?
Tools that were not used which would have improved job performance: Did we have the right equipment to haul gear to and from the beach or campsite safely? Do we need to get a trailer hitch cargo trap or roof rack, so we don’t have to precariously strap items on top of the vehicle or stack them so high that the back window is blocked? Were we missing a first aid kit?
Let’s not forget our fallen heroes who fought to provide us with the opportunities we have today in America. Let’s also not forget that we will have several more opportunities to gather with family and friends this summer, so we need to capture the lessons learned from Memorial Day. Human Performance can be applied everywhere, and now is a good time to use the HP Tool of Post-Job Review to ensure your upcoming 4th of July gathering is a huge success.
