What KYT means
KYT stands for Kiken Yochi Training: training to anticipate hazards. The Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association, JISHA, includes it in its participatory prevention activities. A group examines an illustration, photograph or real situation to recognise how harm could occur before work begins.
Its purpose is to improve the shared perception of risk and agree on a specific action. It does not, by itself, calculate the probability of an accident or replace a technical risk assessment.
The four rounds
The basic method structures the discussion into four rounds. First, participants identify the hazards in the scene. They then choose the danger points requiring particular attention. In the third round, they propose measures. Finally, they specify what the team will do and confirm that commitment.
The question moves from “something is dangerous” to “which condition could cause which harm, and how will we prevent it?” This precision allows participants to discuss observable measures instead of ending the meeting with a general reminder to be careful.
Using it in a safety meeting
Choose a task that participants recognise and allow everyone to contribute observations. The facilitator helps distinguish the hazard from its consequences and avoids attributing the problem solely to a worker losing concentration.
The final commitment must be compatible with the authorised procedure and available resources. If an uncontrolled risk emerges, the response is not to obtain a promise from the team: conditions must be reviewed, the issue escalated and a decision made about whether the work can proceed.
Hypothetical example
A team examines a photograph of unloading beside a pedestrian route. It identifies moving vehicles, limited visibility and people crossing. It selects vehicle–pedestrian interaction as the priority hazard and proposes physically separating the routes before unloading.
The responsible person verifies the separation and explains how an alert will be raised if someone enters the area. The exercise adds value only when the agreement becomes a real measure, rather than remaining a list of possible accidents.
How it differs from a talk or task analysis
A safety talk may convey information prepared by someone else; KYT requires the group to observe, reason and propose. A job safety analysis breaks down the work and establishes controls more systematically. These practices can complement each other.
JISHA also uses pointing and calling for confirmation. This technique must be adapted to the environment without introducing distractions or additional exposure. The record can capture the scene, the chosen hazard, the measures and outstanding issues.
Explore this approach further in Safety talks.
