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1 AUSTRALIA CANADA USA UNITED KINGDOM Safetycare Australia Pty. Ltd. Telephone (03) Facsimile (03) Safetycare Inc. Telephone (905) Facsimile (905) Safetycare Inc. Telephone Facsimile (905) Safetycare (UK) Limited. Telephone (0208) Facsimile (0208) SINGAPORE MALAYSIA SafetyMax Corp Pte. Ltd. Telephone Facsimile SafetyMax Sdn Bhd Telephone (603) Facsimile (603) The information contained in this Facilitator s guide is distributed and sold as a guide and for informational purposes only. Safetycare makes no representation or warranty as to the compliance of this program with any and all applicable laws of the purchaser's jurisdiction. 2. Safetycare's liability for any damages to the purchaser or to any other party shall not exceed the amount paid by the purchaser for the guide. In no event shall Safetycare be responsible for any indirect or consequential damages or loss of profits, even if Safetycare has been advised of the possibility of such damage. Some provinces/states do not allow the limitations or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to the purchaser. 3. These Facilitator s Guides are supplied as part of the subscription service; Montie. These guides are only to be used during a valid subscription period. Where a Montie subscription is not valid, these guides may not be used. Facilitator s Guide BEHAVIOURAL SAFETY Copyright - All Rights Reserved BSMAN

2 CONTENTS Introduction to the Facilitator s Guide 3 Introduction to the Video Program (Duration: 12 mins) 4 Transcript of the Video Program 5 PART 1: What is an Unsafe Act? 11 PART 2: What is Behavioural Safety? 13 PART 3: What is a Behavioural Safety Program 14 PART 4: Summary 15 Questionnaire 16 Answers 20 Page 2

3 INTRODUCTION TO THE FACILITATOR S GUIDE This Facilitator s Guide is supplied as part of the subscription service; Montie. This guide is only to be used during a valid subscription period. Where a Montie subscription is not valid, this guide may not be used. The aim of this Facilitator s Guide, when used in conjunction with the Video program, is to provide the facilitator with discussion points important to the overall development of the program and to allow participants the opportunity of discussing the impact the program may have on current work practices and whether in fact changes may be required. The time allocated to the program will be determined by which areas are seen as important to each Organisation, the time taken to develop the points made in the program and whether other data specific to your own environment is included in addition to, or instead of, the program examples. EACH FACILITATOR SHOULD CAREFULLY READ THE GUIDE DISCUSSION NOTES SUGGESTED AND PREPARE THEIR OWN INPUT ACCORDINGLY. The program transcript is included to allow your Organisation to fully research the program content and develop specific examples critical to the performance of your own workforce. Where the Video program is made available to small or remote sections of your Organisation, some other examples or discussion points may be preferred to suit the needs of these people and if so, should be developed prior to distribution of the program. Maximum benefit will then be obtained by your people. All information included in the Facilitator s Guide may be copied and distributed with the exception of the transcript of the Video program. Any information which is copied or distributed must only be used internally by the Organisation which purchased the guide. Page 3

4 INTRODUCTION - THE VIDEO PROGRAM (Duration: 12 mins) Statistics show that unsafe acts are the most common cause of workplace accidents. Despite the introduction of training programs and safe work practices and procedures, controlling unsafe acts has proven to be difficult. The reason for this is that unsafe acts involve the Human Factor, that is, they occur as a result of people s attitudes and behaviours. Behavioural Safety offers a way to reduce the incidence of unsafe acts by modifying people s behaviours and improving their attitudes towards safety. This program is designed to provide an understanding of Behavioural Safety and how a Behavioural Safety program works. The program looks at: Unsafe acts and unsafe conditions Behaviours and attitudes towards safety The theory of Behaviour Modification The ABC model Positive reinforcement The three components of a Behavioural Safety Program The Behavioural Safety Observation Process The program is designed to suit any work environment where a Behavioural Safety program is currently being used or where it is being considered. Reducing the occurrence of unsafe acts will reduce number of accidents and injuries that occur in the workplace. Page 4

5 TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO PROGRAM Everyone knows that accidents usually occur when a number of different circumstances or factors combine to create hazardous situations. These factors can be individually identified as accident causes. Some will be seen as minor or contributory factors and other will be identified as key or major accident causes. When we look closely at these factors it becomes clear that they can be categorised into two distinct groups. The first group can be classified as unsafe conditions and includes such things as untidy work areas, faulty equipment, slippery floors and inadequate lighting. The second group of factors can be classified as unsafe acts that result from people s behaviour. For example, not following safe work procedures, the inappropriate use of equipment or the failure to wear required personal protective equipment. Of these two groups statistics prove that unsafe acts are by far the most significant. Simply put, unsafe acts are recognised as the key causes of most accidents. So, it naturally follows that if we can significantly reduce the number of unsafe acts that occur in the workplace we will also significantly reduce the number of accidents. Traditionally unsafe acts have been controlled mainly through the implementation of training programs, and the establishment of safe work procedures and practices. However, despite these efforts unsafe acts continue to be a major factor in the majority of workplace accidents. The reason unsafe acts are so difficult to control lies in the fact that, unlike unsafe conditions, unsafe acts involve the human factor. That is, they occur as a result of people s behaviours and attitudes. By adopting a behavioural approach to safety, which must be used in conjunction with traditional control measures, the human factor, and therefore unsafe acts, can be effectively addressed. This approach is known as Behavioural Safety. Behavioural Safety aims to reduce the incidence of unsafe acts by modifying people s behaviour and improving their attitude towards safety. Page 5

6 TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO PROGRAM (cont d) Because Behavioural Safety is essentially about reducing the occurrence of unsafe acts it is important to clearly define what an unsafe act is. What is an Unsafe Act? An unsafe act can be defined as an intentional or unintentional violation of an established safe work practice, procedure or method. The most common causes of unsafe acts can be categorised under the heading of acts of indifference. In these situations safe work methods are known but aren t followed. For example, personal protective equipment is not worn, or correct manual handling techniques are not used. Other causes of unsafe acts can be categorised under the heading of a lack of knowledge the main sources of which are inexperience and poor or insufficient job training. This takes into account situations in which people perform jobs they re not trained, certified or authorised to carry out. An example of this would be the unauthorised entry into a confined space. In addition to these causes, there are a number of other factors that can contribute to the occurrence of unsafe acts. These include: Lack of concentration Physical limitations of individuals performing specific job tasks Fatigue Haste Laziness Clowning around Loss of emotional control, and Altered states of consciousness resulting from medical conditions or use of drugs and alcohol. Page 6

7 TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO PROGRAM (cont d) Regardless of the underlying reasons for unsafe acts occurring, the justification for them is frequently couched in terms such as: It s too complicated It takes too long It s outdated It doesn t apply to me It s wrong It s unnecessary, or It s just as safe doing it the way I ve always done it. It becomes clear then that addressing the issue of unsafe acts has a lot to do with changing people s attitudes towards safety and getting them to commit to following safe work practices and procedures all the time. But how can this be achieved? According to Behavioural Safety, the way to change a person s attitude towards safety is to change the way they choose to behave. But what exactly is Behavioural Safety and how does it work? What is Behavioural Safety? Behavioural Safety is based on the well recognised theory of Behaviour Modification which states that a person s behaviours and attitudes can be modified and changed using positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is a technique that uses feedback and discussion to establish positive consequences for improved behaviour. In the context of Behavioural Safety feedback and discussion should establish sound reasons why particular job tasks should be performed differently to improve safety. The theory of Behaviour Modification can best be understood using the ABC model. A represents the antecedent event that triggers behaviour. An antecedent event is the cause or event that precedes behaviour. B represents the behaviour the person chooses to take. And C represents the consequence of that behaviour. Page 7

8 TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO PROGRAM (cont d) Manual handling is a good example of a workplace event that can affect people s behaviour. Applying the ABC model, the item that needs to be moved would represent A the event that triggers behaviour. The person s choice regarding how to lift or move the object would represent B the person s behaviour. Whether the person s behaviour places them at risk or not would represent C the consequence of the person s behaviour. The critical variable is the person s choice to act in a particular way. According to the theory of Behaviour Modification, whether a person chooses to behave in a particular way or not depends on the consequences of that behaviour. If the consequences are positive then the behaviour is more likely to be repeated. If the consequences are negative, the behaviour is more likely to be avoided. In Behavioural Safety positive reinforcement is used to establish positive consequences for safe behaviour, so that in specific job situations people choose safe behaviours instead of at risk behaviours. This can be achieved through the implementation of a Behavioural Safety Program. What is a Behavioural Safety Program? A Behavioural Safety Program has three main components. The first component involves identifying specific at risk behaviours that could or have contributed to accidents. A list or inventory of behaviours critical to safety should be compiled. It is important that this completed list has a broad acceptance to ensure that everyone involved agrees on what behaviours are to be observed. The next component is the observation process. A Behavioural Observation involves observing an individual or a team of people while they perform a job task. The Behavioural Observation process has three steps. The first step is to select a job task to be observed. The second step is to inform the person or people involved that the task they re performing is going to be observed. And the final step is to conduct the observation. Page 8

9 TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO PROGRAM (cont d) The purpose of the observation is to determine what is being done safely and what is at risk or unsafe behaviour. Observations should be conducted on a regular basis and address all the at risk behaviours that have been identified and listed as potential accident causes. And the final element of a Behavioural Safety Program is the feedback and discussion component. Feedback uses information from the observations to bring about change in people s behaviour. For example, if a person is using a hazardous substance and is unaware of its potential dangers, a sound explanation of the hazards and how the substance should be handled is likely to impact on how they will deal with the substance in future. Conducted regularly, observations followed by appropriate feedback and discussion emphasise the importance of safe behaviours and reinforce the need to perform job tasks safely. A Behavioural Safety program is most effective: when everyone involved is adequately informed about all aspects of the program when communication between all parties is open and honest when the focus remains firmly on safe and unsafe behaviours when people s names are not recorded as part of the observation process to ensure anonymity and avoid blame being attributed when the people involved are not disciplined as a result of an observation, but rather are encouraged to act safely, and When people contribute genuinely to the running of the program and the observations Page 9

10 TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO PROGRAM (cont d) Behavioural Safety is not a quick fix to improved safety performance. It is an ongoing process that needs to be systematically applied and integrated into normal workplace activities. It is also clear that a successful Behavioural Safety Program can only operate in an environment that already has in place established safe work procedures and practices, adequate job training, access to safety information and most importantly a mechanism in place to identify and control unsafe conditions. A Behavioural Safety Program will inevitably identify existing unsafe conditions AND if there is not a clear and separate process in place to deal with these situations the purpose of the behavioural observation will deteriorate into a safety observation. Behavioural Safety is not a replacement for other safety measures. It is rather, an additional activity that, if managed properly, can be used to improve safety performance and build a better and safer workplace. Page 10

11 PART 1: WHAT IS AN UNSAFE ACT? Accidents usually occur when different factors combine to create a hazardous situation. These factors fall into one of two groups: unsafe conditions or unsafe acts. Unsafe conditions include such things as: Untidy work areas Faulty equipment Slipper floors Inadequate lighting Unsafe acts are intentional or unintentional violations of an established safe work practice, procedure or method. Statistics show that unsafe acts are the most common cause of workplace accidents. Unsafe acts include such things as: Not following safe work practices and procedures Incorrect use of equipment Not wearing PPE The most common causes of unsafe acts are: Acts of indifference - work methods are known but aren t followed. For example: not wearing PPE not using correct manual handling procedures Lack of knowledge - people perform jobs that they are not trained, certified or authorised to perform. For example: unauthorised entry into a confined space A number of other factors can contribute to the occurrence of unsafe acts. These include: Page 11

12 Lack of concentration Physical limitations of individuals performing specific job tasks Fatigue Haste Laziness Clowning around Loss of emotional control Altered states of consciousness resulting from medical conditions or use of drugs and alcohol Often when people try to justify their unsafe behaviour they use terms such as: It s too complicated It takes too long It s outdated It doesn t apply to me It s wrong It s unnecessary, or It s just as safe doing it the way I ve always done it. Traditional training programs and the establishment of safe work procedures and practices have not been successful in controlling unsafe acts. This stems largely from the fact that unsafe acts involve the human factor; that is, they occur as a result of people s behaviours and attitudes. A behavioural approach to safety, known as Behavioural Safety, is often the best way to address unsafe acts because it deals specifically with people s behaviours and attitudes towards safety. EXERCISE: Think of some examples of unsafe behaviour that might occur in your work environment. Page 12

13 PART 2: WHAT IS? Controlling unsafe acts has a lot to do with changing people s attitudes towards safety because our attitudes affect the way we behave. According to the theory of Behaviour Modification the way to change people s attitudes is to change the way they choose to behave. This is achieved through the use of positive reinforcement. The technique of positive reinforcement uses feedback and discussion to bring about positive consequences for safe behaviour. Behavioural safety can best be understood using the ABC model: The ABC Model A Antecedent event B Behaviour C Consequence A represents the antecedent event that triggers behaviour. B represents the behaviour the person chooses. C represents the consequences of that behaviour. The critical variable is the person s choice to act in a particular way. According to Behaviour Modification, how a person chooses to behave is determined by the consequences of that behaviour. If the consequences are positive then the behaviour is more likely to be repeated. If the consequences are negative the behaviour is more likely to be avoided. EXERCISE: Apply the ABC model to behaviour that occurs in your work environment. Give examples of safe and unsafe versions of that behaviour. Page 13

14 PART 3: WHAT IS A PROGRAM? A Behavioural Safety program has three parts. The first part involves identifying specific at risk behaviours. A list or inventory of behaviours that could or have contributed to accidents should be compiled. Everyone involved should agree on what behaviours are to be observed. The next part is the observation, which involves observing an individual or a team perform a job task. The third part of a Behavioural Safety program is feedback and discussion. The Behavioural Safety Observation A Behavioural Observation is conducted to identify at risk or unsafe behaviour. A Behavioural Observation has three steps: Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Select a job task to be observed Inform the person or people involved that the job task they are performing is going to be observed Conduct the observation Behavioural Observations should be conducted regularly and they should address all the at risk and unsafe behaviours that have been identified as potential causes of accidents. The final part of a Behavioural Safety program is the feedback and discussion component. Following the observation, this step provides the person or people who have had their job tasks observed with feedback regarding their performance in terms of safety. Feedback involves the use of information gathered from the observation to bring about change in people s behaviour. At risk and unsafe behaviour is replaced with safe behaviour. Page 14

15 PART 4: SUMMARY For a Behavioural Safety program to be effective everyone involved needs to be adequately informed about all aspects of the program. Communication between all parties should be open and honest. The focus of the program should remain firmly on safe and unsafe behaviours rather than on unsafe conditions. The use of people s names should be avoided to ensure anonymity and to avoid the attribution of blame. People should not be disciplined as a result of an observation, but rather they should be encouraged to act safely. Finally, people involved in a Behavioural Safety program should contribute genuinely to the running of the program and the observations. Page 15

16 QUESTIONNAIRE (Participants to complete and return to facilitator for correction.) PART 1: WHAT IS AN UNSAFE ACT? 1. Briefly describe what an unsafe act is? 2. Is a slippery floor an unsafe act or an unsafe condition? Unsafe act Unsafe condition Tick appropriate box 3. Why are unsafe acts so hard to control? Page 16

17 QUESTIONNAIRE (Cont'd) 4. List three factors that can contribute to the occurrence of unsafe acts PART 2: WHAT IS? 5. Behavioural Safety is based on the theory of Cause and Effect Behaviour Modification Self-Actualisation All of the above Tick appropriate box 6. Positive reinforcement uses feedback and discussion to establish positive consequences for safe behaviour. True False Tick appropriate box Page 17

18 QUESTIONNAIRE (Cont'd) 7. Whether a person chooses to behave in a particular way or not depends on the consequences of that behaviour. True False Tick appropriate box PART 3: WHAT IS A PROGRAM? 8. A Behavioural Safety program has 5 components. True False Tick appropriate box 9. What is the first step in a Behavioural Safety Observation? Identifying a specific at risk behaviour Informing people that their job task is going to be observed Discussing people s behaviour Taking down the names of the people who are going to be observed Tick appropriate box Page 18

19 QUESTIONNAIRE (Cont'd) 10. How many steps are there in a Behavioural Safety Observation? Tick appropriate box 11. What is the purpose of a Behavioural Safety Observation? 12. What is the final step in a Behavioural Safety Observation? Page 19

20 ANSWERS PART 1: WHAT IS AN UNSAFE ACT? 1. An unsafe act can be defined as an intentional or unintentional violation of an established safe work practice, procedure or method. 2. A slippery floor is an unsafe condition 3. Unsafe acts are hard to control because they involve the Human Factor, that is, they involve people s attitudes and behaviours. 4. A number of factors can contribute to the occurrence of unsafe acts, including: - Acts of indifference - Lack of knowledge - Lack of concentration - Physical limitations of individuals performing specific job tasks - Fatigue - Haste - Laziness - Clowning around - Loss of emotional control, and - Altered states of consciousness resulting from medical conditions or use of drugs and alcohol. PART 2: WHAT IS? 5. Behavioural Safety is based on the theory of Behaviour Modification. 6. True. Positive reinforcement uses feedback and discussion to establish positive consequences for safe behaviour. 7. True. Whether a person chooses to behave in a particular way or not depends on the consequences of that behaviour. Page 20

21 ANSWERS (cont d) PART 3: WHAT IS A PROGRAM? 8. False. A Behavioural Safety program has 3 components. 1. Identification of specific at risk behaviour 2. The Behavioural Safety Observation 3. Feedback and Discussion 9. Identifying a specific at risk behaviour to be observed is the first step of a Behavioural Safety Observation. 10. A Behavioural Safety Observation has 3 steps. 11. The purpose of a Behavioural Safety Observation is to determine what is being done safely and what is at risk or unsafe behaviour. 12. Feedback and Discussion is the final step in a Behavioural Safety Observation. Page 21