Behavioral Safety 501 ASSE Central Florida Chapter June 7, 2010

1. Michael O’Toole, PhD Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Behavioral Safety 501ASSE Central Florida ChapterJune 7, 2010

2. Behavior Based Safety • Where did it come from? • Origins in psychology • B.F. Skinner/Watson/Thorndike Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

3. ABC’s of Success ANTECEDENTS BEHAVIORS CONSEQUENCES What triggers or causes behaviors? What it is that the employee does What follows the behavior? Positive+ Negative- MEASUREMENT & FEEDBACK HOW AM I DOING?

4. Behavioral Safety • Any number of approaches that focus on the behaviors of employees • Identify and correct unsafe/at-risk behaviors before an incident • All attempt to use some form of observation of employee job performance • Supervisors • Peers • Self Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

5. Keys to a successful BBS process • Planning • Like a good story • Who, what, where, when, why and how • Who is going to champion the process? • Who is going to manage the process? • Who is going to conduct observations? • Who is going to ensure follow-up? Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

6. Six Critical Elements of a Behavior Based Safety Process Include…. Leadership Commitment Training Communications Reduce Incidents Measurement Reinforcement Process Management

7. Why conduct structured observations? • Leverages “behavior sampling” to paint a clearer picture of risks • Provides more objective data on which to guide continuous improvement of the organization’s safety and health processes • Further clarifies expectations related to safety and health aspects for both supervisor and employee Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

8. What jobs or tasks are we going to observe? • Injury or property damage history • High risk high hazard jobs • High frequency jobs • Intermittent jobs • Need to have a standard • Standard Operating Procedures • Equipment manuals • Regulations • Consensus standards • ANSI, NFPA, ASTM, etc Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

9. Who and How are observations to be completed? • By supervisors • Advantages • Part of their job • Basic responsibility to ensure safety of workers • Additional avenue to demonstrate management’s support • Increases employee involvement • Disadvantages • Another burden • Tool to “get” employees • Deflect blame Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

10. Who and How are observations to be completed? • By Peers • Advantages • Less of a threat • Familiar with how the job “is really done” • Opportunity for increased safety engagement • Disadvantages • Less objective • Won’t “rat out” peers • Pencil whipping paperwork • Fail to make connection with improved safety Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

11. Who and How are observations to be completed? • Self-observations • Advantages • No additional personnel • Forces reflection on task procedures • Cognitive dissonance • Disadvantages • Deception • Pencil whipping • Fear of reprisal Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

12. When are observations to be completed? • Depends on the size of the organization. • Daily – too often? • Weekly – balanced? • Monthly – not often enough? • Where are observations to be completed? • At the site/location where the task is being performed. Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

13. How are observations to be compiled? • Paper and pencil • Manually entered into computer • Database or spreadsheet • PDA data logger • Data are transferred into computer database • OR…NOT AT ALL! Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

14. Behavior Based Safety…or not? • Not a silver bullet • Not a program….it is a process • All else must be in good shape • Must “fit” the organization’s culture • Must be integrated into already successful safety and health processes Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

15. Disadvantages • Becomes a program  flavor of the month • Perceived by employees as another means to shift blame to employees • Game the system • Achieving the target is the focus rather than true continuous improvement • Becomes a bureaucratic nightmare • Doesn’t fit the organization’s culture • Seen as a fix to all the unsolved problems Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

16. Advantages • Increases Management’s opportunity to visibly demonstrate support for safety • Increases opportunities for all employees to be more engaged and participative in the safety and health process • Provides employees and the organization valuable feedback for continuous improvement • Provides critical leading indicators of safety performance Michael O'Toole, PhD Behavioral Safety 501

17. Michael O'Toole, PhD People Without a BBS System Questions?