Enhancing Workplace Behavior for Safety: A Comprehensive Analysis

1. A presentation about behaviour…. Rob Miles, HSE Offshore Safety Division

2. Where are we now? • B-mod very topical • Grabbed imagination of senior managers • Heavily marketed • Sold as solution to “rump” of safety issues • But……

3. The “Engineers Graph” or why I don’t need to do anything... Engineering Safety management Accident rate Human factors Time

4. The “Engineers Graph” or why I don’t need to do anything... Engineering Safety management Accident rate Human factors Time I need to design better engineering

5. The “Engineers Graph” or why I don’t need to do anything... Engineering Safety management Accident rate Human factors Time I need to design better engineering More procedures!

6. The “Engineers Graph” or why I don’t need to do anything... Engineering Safety management Accident rate Human factors Time I need to design better engineering More procedures! Behavioural modification will fix it…(theirs not mine)

7. The “Engineers Graph” or why I don’t need to do anything... Continuous improvement Engineering Safety management Accident rate Human factors Time I need to design better engineering More procedures! Behavioural modification will fix it…(theirs not mine)

8. The “Engineers Graph” or why I don’t need to do anything... Continuous improvement Engineering Safety management Workforce involvement Accident rate Human factors Time I need to design better engineering More procedures! Behavioural modification will fix it…(theirs not mine)

9. How do you understand behaviour? • Is behaviour in the workplace something that can be managed directly, independently of other work place elements? • or • Is behaviour in the workplace an emergent property determined by management style, resources, supervision and training?* • *HSE’s view

10. The majority of safety critical roles are managerial • Is behaviour modification something to be done to others? • Or • Is behaviour modification something you do to yourself? • And • What is the legitimate reach of an employer into staff behaviour? • and • Are they even your staff?

11. So you are going b-mod? • What evidence do you have that behaviour is the most pressing problem on your site? • Is behaviour a major cause of incidents in your investigations? • How far up the organisation do you believe the problems go? • How far up the organisation will the b-mod programme go?

12. HSE’s ‘top 10’ common issues: • Fatigue • Organisational culture • Human factors in design • Communications/interfaces • Integration of HF into risk • assessment & investigations • Organisational change • Staffing levels/workload • Training & competence • Procedures • Managing human failure / • Behavioural safety = human factors* No PPE, No slips and Trips! Its all about HAZARD *No it does not

13. If these are your problems: • Organisational change • Staffing levels/workload • Training & competence • Procedures • Managing human failure • Fatigue • Organisational culture • Human factors in design • Communications/interfaces • Integration of HF into risk • assessment & investigations Ask yourself: “How will modifying employee behaviour improve my situation?”

14. Read this first! .pdf download the full report from the STEP website • “The organisational factors required to manage safety effectively are similar to those required for effective team based working that can improve productivity and profitability.”

15. Programmes that work: • are designed / written with the workforce • have Senior management commitment • that commitment has been demonstrated • properly resourced - real commitment. • are appropriate for the prevailing situation • trust / maturity • observable events

16. Matching “trust” levels: • low trust supervisor observation techniques are seen as insulting in a high trust work site. They undermine empowerment. • high trust (empowered) techniques of worker ownership, time out or shutdown frighten workers in a low trust site and are treated with suspicion.. • its easy to undermine trust; breach confidentiality • Be aware of cultural issues; US programmes tend to fail in the UK

17. Permit to work Wear safety boots Wear ear protection in noise areas Clear up spills Keep worksite clean Wear a hard hat Do not violate procedures Use eye protection etc etc etc Forget this and it will kill you What messages are you sending out…? “Over 40% of offshore workers believe that the PTW exists to protect the employer not them” “They treat me like a child….” “Never ever think outside the box.” “Pushing the envelope….” “We are a learning organisation…” “How do I stop employees leaving their brains at the heliport…?”

18. If your staff told you they were planning to: “Work to rule” • Select A, B, or C: • A) You would be pleased because things would go well and productivity would improve. • B) Now what do they want, we’ll never make any money. • C) That’s nice but they do that anyway.

19. Riser tensioner piston assembly – 500kg Sling Sling Not secured Piston seals Collar-100kg

20. Not a RIDDOR!? IP medivaced to ABZ But back offshore in 2 days to “fill out timesheets” Company investigation: -Bad behaviour! -IP warned not to stand by load -Remedial action: remind IP not to stand by load. IP aged 65, desperate to get contract renewal, to be notified next day. IP worked on overhaul for days What about: Risk assessment? Safe system of work? Procedures for overhaul? Actually preventing it? IP’s finger tip

21. Behaviours in incident investigation: • Company investigation: • Operator failed to follow procedures • Response; reemphasise rule compliance • HSE investigation: • Operator instructed to start equipment alone when procedures specify 2 operators. • Company not providing sufficient staff to work the plant safely

22. The employee as a hazard: They need to be closely managed. The less of them the better. Less thinking, more procedures. Blame in investigations. QRA will focus on human error rate. The employee as a defence: They need to be trained, alert and there. They are a valuable contribution to the business. How can I make their life easier? QRA will focus on “defences in depth”. Management behaviours:

25. Dinosaurs: Safety is a competitive disadvantage Profit Safety Costs Revenue Safety managers don’t stay long….

26. Stage 1 Enlightenment: The separation of safety from finance Safety Profit Costs Revenue Accidents The safety department is separate and powerful

27. Doing Things Well Doing Things Badly Fully Enlightened: Safety is a competitive advantage Accidents Profit Safety Costs Revenue These Organisations typically do not have a safety department