edpManagement Systems
for Health Safety + Environment
health, safety and environment consultants
Behavioural Safety
What is Behavioural Safety?
Behavioural Safety is a concept that many organisations have taken on board since the early 1990's.
It is being developed particularly in the Gas, Oil, Airline and Construction industries. The Health and Safety Executive has also published a number of reports and studies on the topic and they are keen to measure safety culture within organisations (something which may be particularly important following any serious incident).
Many organisations have Safety Management Systems and Safety Advisers in place. However these alone do not necessarily result in reduced accident rates.
The Construction industry, for example, appears to be finding it difficult to reduce accident and fatality rates and many are asking why this should be. The general belief is that it is due to the way people behave and whether or not the systems they have in place are living and workable.
Behavioural Safety examines how to make people responsible for their own health, safety and well-being, along with that of their colleagues. It assists in getting staff involved with the broad area of health and safety and on improving communication that leads to better safety.
Whilst Behavioural Safety, or cultural change, does not replace the more traditional approach to Occupational Safety and Health, it embraces an aspect of management that many people still find difficult getting to grips with. This is, how to encourage people to examine their own behaviour and, where necessary, modify their behaviour to achieve safer working conditions.
Across all industries, from the process industry (e.g. Grangemouth, Flixborough, Piper Alpha, Buncefield Oil Depot Hemel) through transport (e.g. Kegworth, Clapham, Potters Bar) and construction (numerous examples!) to finance (e.g. Barings Bank), many incidents occur because of organisational and management factors that could be addressed or helped by a more behavioural approach.
The Process
The ultimate aim of a Behavioural Safety Programme is for employees to become fully involved with health and safety and in helping to run the organisation's Health and Safety System. This includes taking responsibility for themselves and looking out for others.
Starting with an existing system that is totally reliant on management rules but with no input from staff, there are a number of theories for a staged process that will eventually result in behavioural change.
In general, however, a Behavioural Programme consists of the following stages;
- Measure where we are now
- Gain Management buy-in
- Gain Employee buy-in
- Keep it alive
- Measure success
In more practical terms these stages involve the following actions:
Audit the Existing System
The purpose is to establish what is already in place by way of a Safety Management System. An audit may not always be necessary but a vital starting point is to have a good system in place that ensures sound health and safety management. When auditing, it is important to go beyond checking for the mere presence of a system, as many audits do. It is essential to check the quality of the products generated by the system.
Brief Managers and Supervisors
The briefing typically lasts around 2 hours and consists of a DVD, followed by an update on legislation, which includes Corporate Manslaughter. There is a discussion on the concepts of Behavioural Safety, the planned programme and the importance of openness and honesty.
The briefing is followed by a questionnaire and interviews with a sample of those attending to assess the effectiveness of the briefing.
Brief Staff
The staff briefing lasts around 2 hours and consists of a DVD, along with examples of accidents that are relevant to the audience and a discussion about Behavioural Safety and the importance of honesty in the whole programme.
The briefing is followed by a questionnaire and interviews with a sample (typically 10%) of those attending to assess the effectiveness of the briefing.
Review Questionnaires
The aims are to identify some quick wins and provide positive feedback to staff, managers and supervisors.
Develop the Behavioural Programme
The full content of the programme depends on the results from the briefings and ranges from targeted training to methods for achieving employee involvement.
Measure Success
It is vital to be able to measure success and achievement by putting in place indicators and key areas to measure and benchmark progress.
In any Behavioural Programme, it is important to address the behaviour of supervisors and managers, i.e. how they deal with, react to and implement health and safety issues. Corporate Manslaughter legislation has only served to emphasise these aspects.
Traditionally many Behavioural Programmes have concentrated on front-line staff. However, it is equally important to include management, supervision and organisational factors, since these all have significant effects on Health and Safety, either directly or through their impact on the behaviour of employees.
Benefits of the Behavioural Programme Approach
Having a Behavioural Safety Programme in place can be beneficial in many ways:
- It strengthens the organisation’s defence, should it become involved with a possible Corporate Manslaughter case.
- It positively reduces accidents, incidents, ill health and down time, along with their associated direct and indirect costs.
- Following such a programme can help reduce insurance premiums and raise the profile of the organisation through awards.
- People want to work for an organisation that has an active change culture, thereby helping to keep your best staff.
- It promotes and improves wellbeing, with its accompanying benefits.
- It helps to promote employees' input into the Safety System, thereby reducing reliance on Safety Advisers.
- Managers increase their skills in techniques of positive reinforcement.
- Better reporting of hazards, shortcomings in protection arrangements, accidents and near misses can increase the likelihood of developing effective methods for addressing and reducing risks, saving potential downtime costs and reducing the possibility of legal action.
- Greater commitment on the part of employees to safe behaviour inevitably increases levels of safety all round.
- Active acceptance by staff and management of the Safety System that is already in place will result in a living system that is more likely to work effectively.
- Accelerated action is likely to result from employee recommendations, suggestions and the remedial action needed.
- Continuing improvements in safety culture.
One last point. It is important to appreciate that this is an ongoing process.