Construction workers are a special breed of people. They have to have specialized knowledge; general knowledge; the ability to assess a constantly changing work environment; make quick and accurate decisions; solve problems “on-the-go”; and, actually implement their solutions. A construction site is no “Ivory Tower”. It is the real world with real problems and real solutions.
As opposed to an office where a bit of absentmindedness may result in having to do a report over, temporarily misplacing a file, or, on the accident side, possibly a paper cut — on a construction site, faulty judgment may result in a fire, explosion, collapse, fall, or a major — possibly fatal — injury.
Just as professional persons such as doctors and engineers must keep current in their profession through continuing education, construction workers must continually keep abreast in their field of expertise.
There is no such thing as “just a” laborer, carpenter, electrician, heavy equipment operator, etc.. Every job requires mental alertness — particularly on construction sites where it is hard, if not impossible, to “undo” mistakes.
Mental fitness is required to learn your trade, improve your skills, and adapt to changing work situations. Mental fitness allows you to keep abreast of developments in procedures, personal protective equipment, and safety.
Know what you don’t know! This may sound convoluted, but, if you are not absolutely sure how to perform a specific function or procedure, have the good sense — the mental judgment — to ask! Never perform any task on any job site unless you clearly understand the correct procedures, including, and, most importantly, the safety procedures.
Keeping mentally active will make the job more rewarding. Think of ways to improve your work, reduce hazards, and enhance safety.
Learning must never end. Fortunately, we live in an age where raw knowledge is readily available to everyone — but it takes mental fitness to synthesize that knowledge and make it useful in your daily life.
Don’t let your brain “go to sleep” by accepting everything as it is. Question, create, develop! Keep mentally fit.