Behavior-Based Safety

Behavior-Based Safety is a process that

helps employees identify and choose a
safe behavior over an unsafe one.
 Basic Behavior Principles
Safety in the workplace is a combination
of three measurable components: the
person, their environment, and their
behavior.
Only when these three elements are
combined can workplace accidents be
eliminated.
 Basic Behavior Principles
The person component consist of the
employees:
• Physical capabilities
• Experience, and
• Training
 Basic Behavior Principles
The work environment represents:
• Engineering Controls,
• Equipment,
• Job task, and
• The work culture
 Basic Behavior Principles
• The final, most often overlooked
component is behavior—what the
person does on the job.
 The Behavior-Based Safety
Process
Behavior-based safety is based on four
key components:
• A behavioral observation and feedback
process;
• A formal review of observation data;
• Improvement goals, and
• Reinforcement for improvement and
goal attainment.
 Behavioral Observation and
Feedback
This is one of the most important components of the
process. Observations provide direct, measurable
information on employees’ safe work practices.
• Employees are observed performing their routine
task. The observer documents both safe and unsafe
behaviors.
• The employee is then provided positive feedback on
the safe behaviors and non-threatening feedback on
the unsafe behaviors. They are also provided with
suggestions on correcting the unsafe behaviors.
Formal Review of Observation
Data
The data is then analyzed to determine
the employee’s (or department’s)
improvement in safe behaviors. It can
be looked at as an overall percentage.
Example: If there were 20 items on the
checklist and the worker performed 17
of them safely, then he would get a
score of 85% safe.
Formal Review of Observation
Data
The improvement between observations
could be graphed and displayed for
employees to view. When the graphs
shows improvement, it provides positive
reinforcing feedback to employees.
 Improvement Goals
Setting improvement goals increases the
effectiveness of feedback and the
success of the behavior-based safety
process.
 Improvement Goals
These goals can take different forms,
such as:
1. Percent safe goals
2. Process goals
3. Implementation goals
Reinforcement for Improvement and Goal
Attainment
Management must provide immediate,
positive feedback to reinforce safe
behavior. Rewards can be an effective
means of reinforcing goal attainment.
 Results
• Increased efficiency
• Increased productivity
• Increased morale
• Increase profitability