Changing the Workplace Safety Culture (Workplace Safety, Risk Management, and Industrial Hygiene)

''The only way to ensure that accidents and their consequences are tackled at the source is to identify and eliminate the workplace risks before, rather than after the event. The ongoing identification of workplace and worker risk must become a value to an organization and must occur automatically, as part of the culture of the organization if accidental losses are to be eliminated. This book shows that an organization's safety culture is the driving force behind successful safety management systems that constantly identify and reduce risk thus eliminating accidents which lead to injuries, property damage or environmental disasters''-- ''Preface Little if any significant progress has been made in the reduction of accidental deaths and injuries at the majority of workplaces. This is despite the fact that workplaces have implemented and followed safety innovations and new approaches. Many of these have proved to be ineffective in preventing injuries, fatal accidents, and other loss-producing events. Some of these safety approaches and innovations are not tried and tested interventions, but are based on the whim of some safety organizations and psychology departments using outdated and inaccurate safety research. These approaches have launched a trend in the safety industry that is followed almost blindly. No one seems to question their validity or effectiveness. Reviewers of this book's proposal felt that 60% or more of the contents should refer to behavior-based safety methodology. I did not understand why until I realized that these reviewers had been taught that workplace safety culture was created, modified, or changed by the behavior of the workers. I agree that behavior has a role in safety culture, but I firmly believe that the state of the workplace, the safety management system, the leadership, and the organization is what changes behavior in the first place. Employees behave according to the expectations of the organization they work for. This book demonstrates how changing the way an organization views and practices safety will impact on the behavior of all employees, including executive and line managers. This is not a book about behavior-based safety, but a guideline on how to establish a long-lasting integrated safety culture into an organization. It is about changing the safety personality at workplaces''-- Read more... Content: Introduction Is Safety Really First? Safety Culture Subcultures An Overview of Safety Culture Neither a Buzzword nor an Easy Fix MSHA Defines Safety Culture The History of Safety and Safety Culture Safety at the Workplace How Well Are We Doing? Consequence Concentration Injuries Almost Irrelevant Upstream Actions Near-Miss Incidents Modern Safety Culture Work-Related and Non-Work-Related Accidents Homes More Dangerous Than Workplaces? Status Quo H.W. Heinrich Frank E. Bird, Jr Bird vs. Heinrich Conclusion Accident Causation Theories Accident Sequence Failure to Assess the Risk Lack of Control Basic Causes or Root Causes Immediate Causes Contact and Exchange of Energy Injury, Damage, or Loss A Measure of Safety Conclusion Safety Culture Change Management Functions Introduction Survey Management Leadership What Is a Manager? Basic Safety Management Functions Safety Planning Organizing for Safety Safety Leading Safety Controlling Safety Culture Change Management Principles Introduction Safety Management Principles Safety Culture Change Success Principle of Safety Management Results Principle of the Key Safety Advocate Principle of Safety Leadership Principle of Setting Safety Objectives Principle of Resistance to Safety Change Principle of Safety Communication Principle of Safety Participation Principle of Safety Definition Principle of Safety Reporting Principle of Safety Authority Principle of Interest in Safety Principle of the Critical Few Principle of Safety Recognition Past Safety Experience Predicts Future Experience Principle Principle of Safety Application Principle of Point of Control Principle of Multiple Causes Conclusion A Culture of Fear Introduction Embedded Culture International Culture Safety Bribery Injuries Off-the-Job Underground Mine Injury Safety Incentives E's Story (as told to me) Condoned Practice Fear of Reporting Discipline Feedback Cover-Up The Biggest Challenge Declaring Amnesty Cardinal Rules Creating a Safe Space Case Study Conclusion Key Attributes of a Positive Safety Culture Introduction Safety as a Value Safety Ethics Vision Safety Strategy Mission Statement Safety Philosophy Safety Principles Safety Policy Statement Health and Safety Standards What System Are You Running? Strong Leadership in Place Management Training Commitment Integrity Establishing Authority, Responsibility, and Accountability Declaration of Safety Amnesty A Trust Forum between Employees and Management Employee Empowerment in Safety Safety Matters Receive Attention Development of Employees and Unions Ongoing Improvement Constant Monitoring of Progress Safety Standards Set and Maintained The Safety Team The Workplace Safety Communication Systems Building Blocks of a Good Safety Culture Safety Management Systems Safety Management Systems Risk Based Management Led Audit Based Internationally Accepted Risk-Based Safety Systems NOSA and SPI Five-Star Safety and Health Management System British Safety Council Five-Star Health and Safety Audit System International Loss Control Institute International Safety Rating System (ISRS) British Standards Institute Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series System (BSI-OHSAS 18001) SANS OHSAS 18001:2011 SANS OHSAS 18002:2011 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Conclusion Steps toward Shifting the Workplace Safety Culture-Part 1 Introduction Major Decision Commitment Safety Leadership Team (SLT) Management Training Declaration of Safety Amnesty (No-Blame Culture) A Safe Space Credibility of Culture Change Development of Employees and Unions Sharing of Knowledge Employee Empowerment in Safety Listening to the Workforce All on Board The Next Steps Steps toward Shifting the Workplace Safety Culture-Part 2 Risk Assessment Risk Control Establishing Authority, Responsibility, and Accountability Appointment of a Senior Manager Example of an Accountabilities Standard Safety Audits Safety Culture Survey Action Plans Based on Audit Results Taking Action Communication Safety and Organizational Goals Steps toward Shifting the Workplace Safety Culture-Part 3 Introduction Business Order (Good Housekeeping) The Buildings and Floors Demarcation of Work Areas and Walkways Stacking and Storage Signs Toilet, Washroom, and Lunchroom Facilities Mechanical and Electrical Environment Ergonomic Surveys Occupational Hygiene Risks Conclusion Steps toward Shifting the Workplace Safety Culture-Part 4 Implementing the Safety System Controls Introduction Management Control Implementing a Safety Management System (SMS) Developing Safety System Standards How Does a Safety System Impact Safety Culture? Changing the Culture Conclusion Steps toward Shifting the Workplace Safety Culture-Part 5 Introduction The Safety Department Duties and Functions of a Safety Practitioner Security Occupational Hygiene Safety, Health, Environment, Quality, and Liability (SHEQR) Professional Behavior Key Role Appointing Champions for Change The Safety Advocates Safety and Health Representatives (Safety Representatives) Conclusion Steps toward Shifting the Workplace Safety Culture-Part 6 Monitoring Progress Keeping the Culture Recognizing Safety Achievements Riding the Bicycle Summary The Aluminum Company Case Study Introduction The Situation as It Was Safety in the Safety Department Training Areas Support of Safety Team Culture Change Executive Safety Committee The First Fatality The Second Fatality My Predecessors The Safety Committee The Showdown The CEO Saves the Day Progress Achievements Some Safety Culture Achievements during the 2 Years Conclusion And Then What Happened? The Copper Mine Case Study Introduction How It Started Initial Contact The Implementation Phase As It Was Management Closeout Only the Plant The First External Audit The Mine Buys into the System No Follow-Up from NOSA The Contract The First 3 Months The Safety Leadership Team Reporting Hierarchy Restructuring of the Safety Department Injury Management The Safety and Health Representatives One-Upmanship Managers Now Attend the Training Safety System Development Resistance to Change Staff Development One Five-Star Area Copper Company Merger New Corporate Safety Director MSHA Training Training of Safety and Health Representatives and the Jackets Internal Accredited Auditor Training External Audits Reductions in Injury Rates Safety Culture Change Closure References Index Abstract: ''The only way to ensure that accidents and their consequences are tackled at the source is to identify and eliminate the workplace risks before, rather than after the event. The ongoing identification of workplace and worker risk must become a value to an organization and must occur automatically, as part of the culture of the organization if accidental losses are to be eliminated. This book shows that an organization's safety culture is the driving force behind successful safety management systems that constantly identify and reduce risk thus eliminating accidents which lead to injuries, property damage or environmental disasters''-- ''Preface Little if any significant progress has been made in the reduction of accidental deaths and injuries at the majority of workplaces. This is despite the fact that workplaces have implemented and followed safety innovations and new approaches. Many of these have proved to be ineffective in preventing injuries, fatal accidents, and other loss-producing events. Some of these safety approaches and innovations are not tried and tested interventions, but are based on the whim of some safety organizations and psychology departments using outdated and inaccurate safety research. These approaches have launched a trend in the safety industry that is followed almost blindly. No one seems to question their validity or effectiveness. Reviewers of this book's proposal felt that 60% or more of the contents should refer to behavior-based safety methodology. I did not understand why until I realized that these reviewers had been taught that workplace safety culture was created, modified, or changed by the behavior of the workers. I agree that behavior has a role in safety culture, but I firmly believe that the state of the workplace, the safety management system, the leadership, and the organization is what changes behavior in the first place. Employees behave according to the expectations of the organization they work for. This book demonstrates how changing the way an organization views and practices safety will impact on the behavior of all employees, including executive and line managers. This is not a book about behavior-based safety, but a guideline on how to establish a long-lasting integrated safety culture into an organization. It is about changing the safety personality at workplaces'' "Preface Little if any significant progress has been made in the reduction of accidental deaths and injuries at the majority of workplaces. This is despite the fact that workplaces have implemented and followed safety innovations and new approaches. Many of these have proved to be ineffective in preventing injuries, fatal accidents, and other loss-producing events. Some of these safety approaches and innovations are not tried and tested interventions, but are based on the whim of some safety organizations and psychology departments using outdated and inaccurate safety research. These approaches have launched a trend in the safety industry that is followed almost blindly. No one seems to question their validity or effectiveness. Reviewers of this book's proposal felt that 60% or more of the contents should refer to behavior-based safety methodology. I did not understand why until I realized that these reviewers had been taught that workplace safety culture was created, modified, or changed by the behavior of the workers. I agree that behavior has a role in safety culture, but I firmly believe that the state of the workplace, the safety management system, the leadership, and the organization is what changes behavior in the first place. Employees behave according to the expectations of the organization they work for. This book demonstrates how changing the way an organization views and practices safety will impact on the behavior of all employees, including executive and line managers. This is not a book about behavior-based safety, but a guideline on how to establish a long-lasting integrated safety culture into an organization. It is about changing the safety personality at workplaces"-- Provided by publisher Despite the fact that workplaces have implemented and followed new safety innovations and approaches, the majority of them have seen little, if any, significant progress in the reduction of accidental deaths and injuries. Changing the Workplace Safety Culture demonstrates that changing the way an organization views and practices safety will impact the behavior of all employees including executive and line managers. It delineates how safety culture change can be implemented and defines the roles of everyone in the safety culture, including management, employees, and unions and their members. Rather than focus on behavior-based safety measures, this book provides step-by-step procedures on how to establish a long-lasting integrated safety management system in any organization. It explores how to change the safety personality of an organization. The author covers the management principles and functions that need to be applied to bring about safety culture change and includes many real-life examples. He goes on to explain the activities needed to implement safety change and the benefits of getting others involved in the safety management system. The only way to ensure that accidents and their consequences are tackled at the source is to identify and eliminate the workplace risks before, rather than after, the event. To be truly effective, safety activities must be integrated into the day-to-day business and become a way of life for management and employees of the organization. This book provides a blueprint for creating an active safety culture that prevents accidents before they occur and becomes the key component in ongoing safety success.