EDITOR’S NOTE: Motivating employees to work safely is part of the safety professional’s job. But who motivates the motivator? In this monthly column, veteran safety pro and professional speaker Richard Hawk offers his entertaining brand of wisdom to inspire safety pros to perform at their best.

A driver who’s upset is nearly 10 times more likely to be involved in a crash than a “model” driver.

That’s the conclusion of Virginia Tech Transportation Institute researchers, who monitored 3,500 drivers as they traveled about 3.5 million miles. “Driving while emotional,” the researchers said, “is more dangerous than driving while drowsy, fiddling with the radio or air conditioner, or chatting with passengers.”

Similar studies focused on various industries have also shown that being upset increases your chances of causing a mishap. Knowing this has helped me to be more aware of my own emotions and behavior, and to help others – particularly safety and health pros – increase their own awareness.

During my “Create a Vibrant Safety Culture” talk and seminar, I show people how they can help themselves and their employees recognize and defuse situations that can upset them. Here are three practical ways you can do that.

Put things in perspective

During my talks, I tell a story about a mechanic I worked with years ago. He was a bodybuilder and unusually strong. One day, he got angry over a bolt he couldn’t loosen and went to great lengths to get it to break free. He told me during the incident investigation that “it got personal,” meaning he was in an emotional fight with the bolt. He ended up with stitches in his forehead after the tool he was using (a “cheater bar”) slammed into it.

It’s easy to get angry over small things. I know I have. I once broke a kitchen drawer because it wouldn’t open. But if we catch ourselves and think about how inconsequential the frustrating event is, we’re more likely to realize it’s not worth getting upset about.

Take a break

As a safety and health pro, I’ve conducted dozens of pre-job safety briefings. I’ve also stopped jobs – not just because of a safety hazard or violation, but because I could tell the crew was getting frustrated. I’d have everybody move away from the job if they could, and we’d gather and calmly talk about what’s happening. It’s often only for a few minutes, but it defuses emotions. Whenever I get upset while working, I do the same thing to myself. I stop what I’m doing, move away if I can and calm down. (I also try to pay attention to my breathing.)

Give yourself extra time

The limousine driver a client had hired to pick me up at an airport had more than 40 years of experience as a professional driver. We started talking about what it takes to be safe behind the wheel. He told me his brother once asked him to give his son, who was about to get his driver’s license, some driving tips. “What was the most important advice you gave your nephew?” I asked. He said, “Leave early.”

Now, that’s wise advice for everyone! When you give yourself plenty of time, you tend to be more relaxed, no matter what you’re doing. You’re also less likely to rush and get frustrated if something holds you up, like heavy traffic. Although I tended to give myself extra time during my travels even before I met the limousine driver, I took his advice to heart and gave myself even more time when driving and with my home and work projects. With extra time, you’re more likely to act safely and better enjoy what you’re doing.

Everyone gets upset sometimes and, as the Virginia Tech study shows, it’s a safety issue. It’s also a quality-of-life issue, because when you’re upset, you’re not enjoying life. But with awareness and practice, you can improve.

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