Reaction Time
| Cognitive Performance | Expected Behaviours in Safety-Sensitive Environments |
|---|---|
| Strong Reaction Time | Responds quickly to unexpected hazards (e.g., sudden stops, obstacles, alarms) |
| Maintains safe following distances and adjusts appropriately to changing conditions | |
| Demonstrates timely decision-making in dynamic environments | |
| Reduces likelihood of near-miss or incident escalation | |
| Poor Reaction Time | Delayed response to hazards or changing conditions |
| Increased likelihood of harsh braking or late corrective actions | |
| Difficulty keeping pace with dynamic environments (traffic, machinery, workflows) | |
| Elevated risk of incidents due to slower hazard recognition and response |
Attention
| Cognitive Performance | Expected Behaviours in Safety-Sensitive Environments |
|---|---|
| Strong Attention | Maintains consistent vigilance over extended periods |
| Effectively detects relevant changes in the environment (signals, alarms, anomalies) | |
| Monitors multiple inputs simultaneously (instruments, surroundings, communications) | |
| Demonstrates reliable situational awareness under routine and demanding conditions | |
| Poor Attention | May miss critical safety cues such as signals, alerts, or environmental changes |
| Reduced vigilance — slower to detect hazards or anomalies | |
| Inconsistent monitoring of surroundings or systems | |
| Increased likelihood of oversight-related incidents in safety-sensitive tasks |
Control
| Cognitive Performance | Expected Behaviours in Safety-Sensitive Environments |
|---|---|
| Strong Control | Demonstrates steady, precise hand movements and fine motor coordination |
| Maintains physical composure and motor precision under pressure | |
| Handles tools, controls, and equipment with consistent accuracy | |
| Reliable manual dexterity in safety-critical operations | |
| Poor Control | May show reduced hand stability or fine motor precision |
| Less consistent accuracy when handling tools, controls, or equipment | |
| Increased risk of imprecise movements in safety-critical manual tasks | |
| Greater variability in motor performance under pressure or fatigue |
Executive Function
| Cognitive Performance | Expected Behaviours in Safety-Sensitive Environments |
|---|---|
| Strong Executive Function | Plans and sequences tasks effectively |
| Adapts to changing conditions with sound judgment | |
| Prioritizes competing demands appropriately | |
| Integrates information to make informed decisions | |
| Poor Executive Function | Difficulty organizing or sequencing tasks |
| Slower or less effective decision-making in complex situations | |
| Challenges adapting to unexpected changes | |
| Increased likelihood of errors when managing multiple demands |