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Behavioural safety - improving performance

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stakeholders. guidance to help you decide whether freeguides.
a behavioural safety programme
is suitable for your company and, Our materials are reviewed at least
if so, how to start the process. It once every three years. This document
includes case studies to show the was last reviewed and revised in
business benefits of behavioural May 2015.
safety programmes and links to more
information and resources.
Contents

1 Introduction 02
2 What is behavioural safety? 03
3 Background 05
4 How does behavioural safety work? 06
5 Making the choice – is behavioural safety the right tool? 08
6 Opting for a behavioural safety programme – what next? 09

Case study
Using a behavioural approach to improve safety in aircraft
manoeuvring areas 10

References 12
More information and resources 13

Figures
1 The safety triangle 04
2 Implementation of a behavioural safety programme 07
3 Percentage improvement across the three
intervention categories in the case study 11
1 Introduction

Health and safety in the workplace First researched in the 1970s in the US,
is influenced by a number of factors,
from the organisational environment
the behaviour-based safety approach
emerged in UK organisations in the
Business benefits
through managers’ attitude and late 1980s and is now widely used in
A manufacturing company
commitment to the nature of the job a variety of sectors in the UK. We’ve
with 1,400 staff introduced a
or task and the personal attributes of written this guide to introduce the
behavioural safety programme and
the worker. Safety-related behaviour background and basic principles
gained:
in the workplace can be changed by of implementing a process which
- improved productivity – the
addressing these major influences. systematically addresses behavioural
number of work days lost
safety. The techniques described
through injury per year dropped
One way to improve safety are based primarily on observation,
from 550 to 301 in four years
performance is to introduce a intervention and feedback as ways of
- improved public image – the
behavioural safety process that changing behaviour.
company’s managers have
identifies and reinforces safe behaviour
given presentations at major
and reduces unsafe behaviour.
behavioural safety conferences
Behavioural safety processes aren’t
- staff development – many
a ’quick fix’ and it’s important not
observers have improved
to overlook fundamental elements.
communications and IT skills,
You should begin by concentrating
and greater confidence.
on policies and systems – assessing
and improving management and
(Source: HSE)
operational factors, training, design
and so on.

02
2 What is behavioural safety?

Behaviour can be defined as an action The emphasis of the behaviour-based

by an individual that is observable by
others. It’s estimated that in up to 80
approach to safety is, as the name
suggests, on employees’ behaviour.
Business benefits
per cent of work-related accidents, Through influencing behaviour, this
A behavioural safety programme
employees’ behaviour – in the form of system can reduce injury rates.
at a petrochemicals plant brought
acts or omissions – is a contributing
economic benefits, including:
factor.1 Such behaviour can pave the The behaviour-based approach to
way for many pre-existing factors to safety focuses exclusively on the
- a saving of £250,000 per year
through early identification and
come together in a negative event. observable, measurable behaviours
repair of leaks
There are many reasons why employees critical to safety in a particular
engage in ’at-risk’ behaviour at work. setting. This is a task-oriented view of
- a 32 per cent reduction in
insurance premiums
Some examples are: behaviour, and it treats safe behaviour
- cutting corners to save time: how as a critical work-related skill. Don’t
- major reductions in operating
costs as workers became more
often do employees decide not to confuse it with inspections and audits
confident about identifying
use personal protective equipment of the workplace for unsafe conditions.
and dealing with problems
(PPE) because a task may only
themselves.
take seconds to complete? In this Behavioural safety is part of a
example, the at-risk behaviour (the natural progression of safety
(Source: HSE)
failure to use PPE) has the instant management from highly prescriptive
perceived benefit of saving time approaches, through the engineered
- ergonomic factors: inappropriately or procedural systems which most
placed machine controls may lead progressive companies have long
to improvised and potentially since established, to a system which
dangerous access arrangements recognises workers as mature human
- accepted practice: ’we’ve always beings with a genuine interest in
done it that way’ their own wellbeing, who contribute
- reinforcement of at-risk behaviour best when they can see that they
by the actions of supervisors: this themselves can influence their own
may also undermine employees’ safety. To achieve this transition is to
confidence in the management’s change the culture of the work group
commitment to manage concerns involved – so it won’t achieve instant
such as safety results. In addition, behaviour-based
- misunderstanding at-risk behaviour: approaches to safety improvement are
employees may be unaware, or most effective when the engineered
have a low perception, of the risks and procedural systems are working
associated with a particular task properly.2
or activity. This could be due to
insufficient information or training
- instinctive risk-taking behaviour:
some people are more naturally
inclined than others to take risks.

03
Human behaviour is often categorised The traditional safety triangle shows
as reflex/automatic, intended and that as severity decreases, frequency
habitual. The behavioural approach increases. It’s simple to extend the
focuses on the habitual category. We triangle to include near misses and
don’t focus on workers’ behaviour unsafe behaviours (see Figure 1). There
in order to blame or punish them. are more major injuries than fatalities,
These kinds of response are largely more first aid cases than over-three-
counterproductive and, in any case, day injuries, and more near misses and
some of the behaviour associated with at-risk behaviours than incidents of
incidents is encouraged or accepted all kinds. At-risk behaviour is an early
by management systems. The most warning system for accidents.
effective approach is to identify and
measure the safe and unsafe (at-risk) The key to reinforcing safe behaviours
behaviours that are occurring in the (good habits) and removing or
workplace, and manage them. reducing unsafe ones (bad habits)
lies in identifying those behaviours
Measuring behaviour provides the which are critical to safety and then
health and safety system with a tool in carrying out regular observations to
for proactive management. It’s a well- monitor them. It’s therefore a proactive
established safety approach to correlate safety management tool, with the
frequency with severity of injuries using information being obtained without
accident triangles or accident ratios. anyone being hurt.

Fatalities

Major injuries

Over-three-day injuries

First aid

Near misses and at-risk behaviours

Figure 1: The safety triangle

04
3 Background

Behavioural safety approaches were Krause et al.5 found that immediate peer-
first developed and applied in the US to-peer verbal feedback was the most
in the 1970s. Komaki et al.3 provided effective way of achieving behavioural
one of the early studies of the change in an industrial setting. After this,
application of behavioural approaches Krause carried out several behaviour-
to improve occupational safety in the based safety interventions in chemical
food manufacturing industry. Their companies that were proponents of total
study demonstrated that defining safe quality management. Sulzer-Azaroff6
working practices through behaviour also showed that in order to change
and then reinforcing them positively behaviour successfully, you need to
offered a way of promoting safe understand the factors that give rise to
behaviour at work. and support safe and unsafe behaviours.

Krause & Hidley4 combined the From the 1980s onwards, safety
work of Komaki et al. with lessons initiatives based on the observation
from the quality management field of safe and unsafe acts or behaviours
and recognised training, the use of were implemented in Europe.
process indicators, feedback and Several studies have been conducted
employee participation as key factors in different UK industrial sectors,
for providing a sustainable continuous for example in construction,7,8
improvement process. manufacturing,9 nuclear energy10 and
research.11 In addition, the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE)12 has provided
case study examples.

05
4 How does behavioural safety work?

It’s possible to recognise a number of important to understand the context

common features across the various
systems:
of the observation data, including
the number of observations and
Business benefits
- Leading from the top. Top the number of people observed.
Partly through introducing a
management needs to ‘buy Additionally, more frequent
behavioural safety programme, one
into’ the programme to ensure observations increase the probability
company achieved a 43 per cent
commitment and resources for the that the level of safe behaviour
reduction in time lost to injuries
organisation. will improve, as people tend to
over two years and a 63 per cent
- Significant workforce alter their behaviour if they know
reduction in major issues over the
participation. Full engagement of someone’s watching. A variable
course of a year.
the workforce in the programme feature is who carries out the
is an essential part of behavioural observations and how often –
(Source: HSE)
safety. Without this engagement, generally, if everyone participates in
it’s difficult to make improvements. observations, it promotes a collective
- Targeting specific unsafe sense of ownership of the process.
behaviours. The programme - Data-driven decision-making
focuses on the small percentage processes. The data from the
of unsafe behaviours that are observation process allow you to
responsible for a large percentage measure safety performance. You
of an organisation’s accidents or can then examine trends in these
incidents. These can be identified data to identify the key operational
by systematically examining areas that need improvement. It’s
the organisation’s accident then possible to positively reinforce
and incident records. Getting employees’ safe behaviour while
employees and management taking steps to correct unsafe
working together to understand behaviours.
the reasons for unsafe behaviours - Organised improvement
and to identify and agree targets intervention. The planned
for change helps to promote intervention often begins with
ownership and agree common briefing sessions in those work
behavioural measures. areas and departments that will be
- Observational data collection. involved. Then volunteer groups are
Trained observers regularly monitor brought together, such as a steering
their colleagues’ safety behaviour committee and observers, who then
against agreed measures. Making receive training in observation and
an observation is like taking a feedback techniques. The project
photograph – it provides a snapshot team oversees the development
of a moment in time. The greater of the process in the organisation,
the number of observations, the from the initial analysis of accident
more reliable the data become, as and incident data through to
the employees’ true behavioural monitoring performance, setting
pattern can be established. It’s goals and reviewing progress.

06
- Regular, focused feedback allowing the observers enough
on continuing performance.
Feedback is the key ingredient
time to make their observations
giving praise and recognition to
Business benefits
of any type of improvement staff who work safely
Over seven years, one company
initiative. In behavioural safety encouraging employees to report
achieved zero lost-time incidents,
systems, feedback usually takes health and safety concerns
a 50 per cent reduction in injuries
three forms: verbal feedback to providing the resources and help
compared to hours worked, and
people at the time of observation; needed for improvements
improved staff morale, partly
visual feedback on charts displayed promoting the initiative whenever
through introducing a behavioural
in the workplace; and weekly/ and wherever they can.
safety programme.
monthly briefings where detailed
observational data are provided Figure 2 outlines the key stages
about specific employee behaviours. in setting up a behavioural safety
In combination, these forms of programme.
feedback provide a basis for
targeting focused improvements.
- A requirement for visible
continuing support from
managers. It’s vital that managers
show visible leadership and
commitment to the process. They
can demonstrate this by:

Observe people
and measure
what they do

Start

Decide what Tell people

behaviours you the results
want to change

People change
their behaviour –
what you have Aim higher
measured
improves

Figure 2: Implementation of a behavioural safety programme

07
5 Making the choice – is behavioural safety
the right tool?

Below are some key questions that you Behavioural safety programmes have - Questions of programme suitability,
need to consider before going ahead made a substantial contribution including:
with a behavioural programme. If you to improving health and safety using an ’off the shelf’ solution
answer ’yes’ to these, it suggests that performance in several industrial that may not suit the culture of
your organisation may be ready for a sectors. But there can be problems the organisation
behavioural safety intervention. with introducing them, such as:13 inappropriate training materials
- Are a significant number of - Workforce concerns, including: not involving all supervisors in
accidents or incidents caused by the issues about ’spying’ on the process, leading some to
behaviour of front-line employees? co-workers abandon their responsibility for
- Do most employees and managers seeing the programme as safety
want to reduce the current accident another initiative that won’t last using the programme to address
rate? worries that workers will be unrelated issues
- Will managers be comfortable if blamed for accidents conflicts with payment and
employees become more involved disagreements over safe reward schemes.
in health and safety? practices.
- Do managers and employees trust - Management issues, including:
each other? not enough management
- Do managers accept their role in support for the approach
health and safety management? expectations of a ’quick fix’,
- Does the organisation have enough leading to a loss of commitment
resources for the process (eg time when improvements come more
for training and observations)? slowly
- Is the physical environment in the organisational changes that may
workplace well controlled? lead to low morale and loss of
key players
autocratic management style
inconsistent behaviour of
managers when enforcing agreed
safety behaviours and rules.

08
6 Opting for a behavioural safety programme –
what next?

Check that employees have an - recruit and train observers

appropriate level of knowledge - establish baselines
and skills for their jobs – are they - set realistic but challenging targets
competent? for improvement
- carry out observations, feed the
Bring together a small group of people, results back to employees as
including managers, supervisors and appropriate and review
workers, to: - make sure staff stay involved in the
- discuss how behaviour influences programme by giving constructive
the organisation’s health and safety feedback on undesirable behaviour
performance and praise for desirable behaviour
- find out how much support there is - use the data you gather from the
for a behavioural safety programme process to improve performance
- identify activities or tasks with further.
’at-risk’ behaviours
- develop ways of measuring safety- The case study on pages 10–11 gives a
critical behaviours practical example of how to implement
a behavioural safety programme.

09
Case study
Using a behavioural approach to improve safety
in aircraft manoeuvring areas

The study was carried out in aircraft Determining a baseline Results

manoeuvring areas of a major UK Straight after the observers were trained, During the first 19 months, the
airport for a US-based international they collected data for four days. In total, percentage of behaviour observed
airline, with approximately 400 60 snapshots of safety performance as safe increased from an average
employees including support staff. provided a baseline figure for each of of 70 per cent to 79 per cent (see
the three areas of concern. The company Figure 3). Over the next five years, the
Procedure then set targets for improvement on the programme evolved to address other
basis of these figures. safety issues and received two ground
Management briefing handling awards. The company’s
During the planning stages, line Establishing improvement goals insurers have also recognised the
managers and HR staff received a At the end of the baseline period, all programme’s importance through
briefing to explain the philosophy observers and representatives from reduced employers’ liability premiums.
behind the behavioural approach, senior management attended a goal-
outlining their role and why their setting meeting. Here they decided Conclusion
commitment is important. goals that were challenging but This study shows that applying a
achievable for improvements in safety behavioural approach to safety is
Developing measures of safety performance across the three measured effective for ramp operations. Despite
performance categories. They also discussed any recent economic trouble in the sector,
The company identified safety-critical barriers to improvement identified the scheme had positive effects
behaviours from accident records during the baseline observations. on safe behaviour, work methods,
and interviews with key people. communication and industrial relations,
They developed measures for critical Feedback and follow-up as well as reducing the occurrence of
behaviours in three areas of concern: Following the goal setting, the accidents and related costs.
manual handling, vehicle operations observers posted feedback charts
and general ramp safety. around the ramp and gave short Source: United Airlines and
PowerPoint presentations in staff Heathrow behavioural case study
Training the observers and rooms throughout the day and through 2005 Robin Phillips CFIOSH
observing safety performance the internal computer network. (personal communication)
Initially 35 observers were trained to
observe and measure their colleagues’ On average, they carried out 110
safety performance and provide verbal observations each month. They
feedback. They represented both displayed the results of the observations
managers and employees and were every week and included information on
drawn from all operations. The key the issues that had improved the most
reasons for choosing them were that and those that had the worst scores.
they were respected by their peers,
were committed to improving safety More observers were trained to provide
and had good communication skills. extra cover during busy periods and
The observations took around 20 holidays, to replace observers who
minutes and took place at different had left the programme and, more
times to make sure that they reflected importantly, to cascade the programme
a true picture of safety performance. throughout the ramp operation.

10
 90%
Baseline
Intervention
80%

70%

60%
Percentage safe

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
General Manual handling Vehicle operations

Figure 3: Percentage improvement across the three

intervention categories in the case study

11
References

1 Health and Safety Executive. 8 Robertson I T, Duff A R, Marsh T

Reducing error and influencing W, Phillips R A, Weyman A K and
behaviour (HSG48).HSE Books, Cooper M D. Improving safety
2003. on construction sites by changing
2 Fleming M. Safety culture maturity personnel behaviour: phase two.
model (OTR 2009/049). HSE Books, HSE Books, 1999.
2001. 9 Cooper M D, Phillips R A,
3 Komaki J, Barwick K D and Scott Sutherland V J and Makin P J.
L R. A behavioural approach to Reducing accidents using goal-
occupational safety: pinpointing setting and feedback: a field
and reinforcing safe performance study. Journal of Occupational and
in a food manufacturing plant. Organizational Psychology 1994;
Journal of Applied Psychology 67: 219–240.
1978; 63 (4): 434–445. 10 Finlayson L, Fishwick T and Morton
4 Krause T R and Hidley J H. A. Reducing accident rates – the
Behaviorally based safety behavioural approach. IChemE Loss
management: parallels with the Prevention Bulletin August 1996:
quality improvement process. 130; 3–6.
Professional Safety 1989; 34 (10): 11 Vassie, L. A proactive team-
20–25. based approach to continuous
5 Krause T R, Hidley J H and Hodson improvement in health and safety
S J. The behaviour-based safety management. Employee Relations
process: managing involvement 1998; 20 (6): 577–593
for an injury-free culture. Van 12 Health and Safety Executive.
Nostrand Reinhold, 1990. The business benefits of health
6 Sulzer-Azaroff B. The modification and safety case studies, 2005.
of occupational safety behaviour. www.hse.gov.uk/resources/
Journal of Occupational Accidents casestudies.htm
1987; 9: 177–197. www.hse.gov.uk/business/
7 Duff A R, Robertson I T, Cooper M business-benefits.htm.
D and Phillips R A. Improving safety 13 Keil Centre. Behaviour modification
on construction sites by changing to improve safety: literature review
personnel behaviour (HMSO Report (OTR 2000/003). HSE Books, 2000.
Series CRR51/93). HMSO, 1993.

12
More information and resources

- Behavioural-Safety.com, 2005. - Lunt J, Bates S, Bennett V,

www.behavioural-safety.com. Hopkinson J. Behaviour change
- Fleming M and Lardner R. Strategies and worker engagement practices
to promote safe behaviour as part within the construction sector (RR
of a health and safety management 660). HSE Books, 2008.
system (CRR 430/2002). HSE Books, - Ward J, Haslam C, Haslam R.
2002. The impact of health and safety
- Hopkins A. What are we to make management on organisations and
of safe behaviour programs? Safety their staff. IOSH, 2008.
Science 2006; 44: 583–597.
- IOSH. Promoting a positive culture: DVDs concerned with promoting
a guide to health and safety culture. safe behaviour in the workplace are
IOSH, 2012. www.iosh.co.uk/ available from:
positiveculture. - Out-Takes
- Krause T R. Employee-driven info@outtakes.co.uk
systems for safe behaviour – t + 44 (0)20 8289 2466
integrating behavioural and www.outtakes.co.uk
statistical techniques. Van Nostrand - Human Focus International
Reinhold, 1995. info@humanfocus.co.uk
- Krause T R. The behaviour- t +44 (0)1737 246331
based safety process: managing http://safetyonlinecourse.co.uk.
involvement for an injury-free
culture. Van Nostrand Reinhold,
1996.

13
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