Make safety a habit!

Safety needs to be an integral part of every scientist's work. To really make safety a daily part of your work routine, it needs to become a habit. Charles Duhigg in “The Power of Habit” explains that habits account for a large portion of our decisions, and if we understand habits we can change bad habits and create new habits that will improve our lives (Duhigg, 2014).1 Habits are the result of a “habit loop” where a “cue” clicks in your brain to automatically do something - the “routine”, in order to receive a reward. We use habits in every facet of our daily lives - when we click our seat belts in place, when we brush our teeth, when we take our medicines - you get the picture. Individuals, organizations, and even societies have habits. This paper will discuss how to improve safety and safety cultures with the use and formation of safety habits by students, lab workers, researchers, Principal investigators, lab supervisors and managers.