Checklists are a staple in workplace safety—used daily to guide inspections, reinforce compliance, and track critical safety elements. They create structure, promote consistency, and reduce the chances of overlooking essential tasks. But despite their benefits, checklists come with a hidden risk: they can narrow our focus and limit what we actually see.
When we approach a task with a checklist in hand, our brains naturally go into search mode—we’re looking for specific items to confirm, evaluate, or check off. The problem? That same focus can cause us to miss hazards that fall outside of the list. In the world of Visual Literacy, this is known as poor situational awareness—and it can be dangerous.
Let’s Use A Real-World Example To Illustrate The Point
Imagine you’re completing a safety walk with a checklist that includes the item:
“Verify fire extinguisher is mounted, accessible, and properly charged.”
You approach the extinguisher, confirm it’s where it should be, check the gauge, ensure the tag is up to date, and mark the task complete.
✔️ Check. Move on.
But what if we zoom out?
Now, suddenly you see:
- Garbage bins just inches away that are propping up mops.
- A ladder blocking access to the right with a mop and bucket propped against it.
- An orange can without a lid directly below.
None of these issues appeared on the checklist—but every one of them could present a hazard.
This example highlights the critical difference between looking and seeing. The checklist guided you to the fire extinguisher, but Visual Literacy helps you take in the full environment and interpret the context. Safety isn’t just about what’s right in front of you—it’s about what’s around it too.
The Visual Literacy Process: From Looking to Action
At the core of Visual Literacy is a simple but powerful process, inspired by The Art of Seeing Art™ from the Toledo Museum of Art. It helps us move beyond simply glancing at something to truly understanding what we see—and knowing what to do about it.
Here’s how it works:
1
Look – Start by pausing and taking in the scene or object. Avoid the urge to immediately interpret—just notice what’s in front of you.
2
Observe – Begin to focus more intentionally. Scan for details, patterns, and relationships. What’s really there? What might you have missed before?
3
See – Now that you’ve slowed down, you can truly see—with clarity and attention. This step is about becoming aware of both obvious and subtle elements.
4
Describe – Put what you see into words. Describe it objectively, without judgment or assumptions. This helps you process visual input more thoroughly.
5
Analyze – Think critically about what the details might mean. Why is this important? How does it relate to the task, the environment, or a potential hazard?
6
Interpret & Act – Decide what action—if any—is needed. Interpretation leads to insight, and insight leads to safe, informed decisions.
This process helps us slow down, resist the urge to jump to conclusions, and see with greater intention—because what’s overlooked often becomes what leads to harm. By applying these steps, workers move from simply completing tasks to truly understanding the environment around them. It’s a shift from a task-focused mindset to a context-aware approach—one that improves awareness and makes it easier to recognize hidden or evolving risks.
Moving Beyond The Safety Checklist
Checklists will always have a place in safety management, but they should be used as starting points, not the finish line. Real safety performance depends on our ability to see—not just the obvious, but also the subtle signals that something might be wrong.
Visual Literacy helps teams break out of routine thinking, become more aware of their surroundings, and recognize hazards that would otherwise go unnoticed. When we see better, we make better decisions—and that’s how real risk reduction happens.
Interested in sharpening your team’s ability to “See The Whole PICTURE™”? Learn more about our Foundations of Visual Literacy workshop or contact us to bring this training to your site.
