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… The Importance of Psychological Safety for Safety Culture Improvement The term “ psychological safety ” is having a moment. While on the surface it may seem like yet another organizational buzzword, this one has true …
… Taking a Safety Culture Selfie My teenage kids are constantly taking selfies. Despite my general distaste for the practice, there are … and pictures taken by their friends). It’s a form of constant self-assessment. This realization got me thinking about safety culture self-assessments. Are safety selfies helpful? Safety is a continuous improvement endeavor. We are never done. It is never enough. Even when …
… 7 Keys for Creating a Safety Culture In my consulting work and in presenting to large groups, the topic of creating or supporting a safety culture comes up without fail. What I find most often is a varied understanding of what is needed by leaders and employees to ingrain a safety culture into the fabric of their organization. It’s important to begin with a common definition of a safety culture: …
… Safety in the News: Why We Are Still "Safe by Accident" Two recent articles, one in USA Today and another in the Wall … also describes the vigilance of one BP leader at Alaska’s North Slope who worked tirelessly to report and follow up on all safety concerns he saw and that were reported to him. He was a leader who gained the trust and commitment of the men and women who put their safety at risk each and every day. Unfortunately, after some time, BP showed him the exit, leaving safety to chance once …
… BP Was Gambling With Safety, Are You? In a recent NY Times article the chairman of a government panel investigating the gulf rig explosion said that “time after time, BP appeared to have gambled with safety”. While it is easy to vilify BP, they are not the only ones gambling with safety. In our experience, many companies gamble with safety, albeit unknowingly. Signs that you might be gambling with …
… Too Lean for Safety It is an understatement to say that many organizations are running lean. The trend worsened during the pandemic and … While the business case for lean operations is compelling, there is such a thing as too lean, especially when it comes to safety. But how can you tell if you are too lean for safety? Waiting for a rash of incidents or a SIF event is obviously not a good strategy but by default, that is what some …
… Safety Leadership: Who's Accountable? Recent events in mining, oil production, and even drug manufacturing uncover costly and more importantly deadly mistakes. Understanding the laws of behavior and applying them to environments where safety practices are present would do much to prevent such tragedies. But who is accountable? Companies are clear on the importance of safety, but leaders must create a culture where safety is valued and practiced at all levels. In essence the 'corporate …
… Setting Supervisors up for Safety Success: 5 Tips for Building Engagement No matter the industry, in all my years of experience working across … on the performance of the people who actually produce the products and/or deliver the service. This is particularly true in safety. Frontline supervisors are the linchpins of safety. They bring all the pieces of safety management together. They are responsible for executing the vision and values at …
… When Safety Systems Work Well I recently had the opportunity to do an assessment with a company that is a safety culture exemplar. At ADI, we work with a lot of companies that have sophisticated safety management systems, but this organization’s system is like a well-oiled machine. The safety subsystems function well …
… Safety Rewards Can Be Dangerous I just finished reading an ISHN article on safety incentives and the value of a gift card reward system to promote safety. To say that I didn't like it is an understatement. It reminds me of the many a "quick and dirty" programs that I …
… Employees Have Spoken…Fear and Failed Leadership Prove Disastrous in Safety Finally, we hear the truth! In a July 21st NY Times article, " Workers on Doomed Rig Voiced Concern About Safety " results of a confidential survey completed by employees in the weeks before the rig exploded are unveiled. Most alarmingly, safety concerns of workers on the rig included: fear of reporting mistakes, observed unsafe behavior, unreliable and unsafe …
… Big Branch Mine explosion in West Virginia. For the last several decades, many companies have turned to Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) systems to enhance their safety culture and reduce incidents and injuries. When these systems are designed and functioning well, evidence shows that they are quite effective in improving safe habits, communication of safety concerns, and the resulting safety outcomes ( see Turnbeaugh, T. 2010, March. Improving business outcomes: …
… Are Habits Bad for Safety? The debate about whether developing habits should be a goal in safety has been going on for decades. A recent article in Professional Safety ( Making Safety a Mindful Value, Not a Mindless Habit , June 2023) raised the debate yet again. At ADI, we have been …
… Food Safety: Who is in Control? Would you believe nobody? With the recent outbreak of salmonella poisoning caused by egg contamination, it raises the debate yet again, “Who’s in Control of our food safety?” I was appalled, but not surprised, to read the recent USA Today article outlining the numerous violations Austin … years. Dating back as far as 1994 and as recent as June 2010, he has been cited and fined for environmental, health, and safety violations that include such things as hog manure runoff into waterways, exposure to harmful bacteria, unguarded …
… OSHA Memo Warning about Improper Use of Safety Incentives and Discipline Managing consequences such as incentives and punishment are thorny issues in safety. ADI has long held that monetary bonuses based on injury counts/rates are problematic for a number of reasons … of generating underreporting and coverups. We have also held that overusing punishment for injuries has the same effect. Safety is an area that requires a thorough understanding of how consequences such as incentives and discipline affect the …