Gauging Your Safety Culture Presented by Timothy Grebe TQS Consulting, LLC Revised May 2017

? How can we determine if a safety culture exists? How do we gauge our safety culture? How do we determine what level of safety culture exists in our organization? TQS Consulting, LLC

What is Safety Culture? Culture – the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or : a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc. : a way of thinking : the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization …(www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture) The Way things get done around here. Easy definition used in the workplace. TQS Consulting, LLC

What is Safety Culture? Safety – the state of being safe, the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be considered non-desirable. The control of recognized hazards to achieve and acceptable level of risk. (Wikipedia) TQS Consulting, LLC

What is Safety Culture, continued: “The control of recognized hazards to achieve an acceptable level of risk in the way we get things done in the workplace.” – Unknown “A safety culture exists within an organization [when] each individual employee, regardless of position, assumes an active role in error prevention and that role is supported by the organization” - Technical report ARL-0203/FAA-02-2 TQS Consulting, LLC

How Do We Instill a Safety Culture? Commitment from Leadership at the highest level. Employee involvement, from the beginning phase. Employee values, beliefs, and assumptions. Employee perceptions of safety at their workplace. Policies and procedures Responsibility and accountability Actions, or lack of actions, to correct unsafe behaviors and conditions. Changing perception that safety is only for the workplace, make it personal. TQS Consulting, LLC

Behavioral Based Safety Evolution of Culture Industry Standards OSHA Act of 1970 Behavioral Based Safety Safety Culture Process Safety Labor Unions TQS Consulting, LLC

Data Analysis What is the data? leading indicators lagging indicators Even a small dip in performance can be an indicator of underlying issues. Can assist with determining when focus should be placed in specific areas or topics What is the data, both from leading indicators to lagging indicators telling us? Even a small dip in performance can be an indicator of underlying issues. Can assist with determining when focus should be placed in specific areas or topics TQS Consulting, LLC

Data Analysis Data analysis, a key component of any management system, may include: Fishbone Diagram Pareto Chart Flowchart Check Sheet 5 Whys Focus on leading indicators but don’t ignore the lagging indicators. TQS Consulting, LLC

Are employees actively engaging the Safety process? TQS Consulting, LLC

Safety included in the process Employee Involvement Risk Assessment Safety Meetings Near Misses Safety Committees Observations JSA’s Employee Involvement – Are employees actively engaging the Safety process? Do you find employees stepping up and engaging in the safety process? Do you hear about incidents occurring and find no record of a report? While walking through your facility do you discover damaged equipment, discharged fire extinguishers or empty eyewash stations and no incident has been reported? Are near misses, first aid cases and potential hazards being reported? Are employees putting on their “Safety Hat”? Safety included in the process TQS Consulting, LLC

Are employees putting on their “Safety Hat”? Employee Involvement Are employees putting on their “Safety Hat”? Employee Involvement – Are employees actively engaging the Safety process? Do you find employees stepping up and engaging in the safety process? Do you hear about incidents occurring and find no record of a report? While walking through your facility do you discover damaged equipment, discharged fire extinguishers or empty eyewash stations and no incident has been reported? Are near misses, first aid cases and potential hazards being reported? Are employees putting on their “Safety Hat”? TQS Consulting, LLC

Safety Auditing and Surveying Perform internal auditing or employee surveys An important tool from Management systems OSHA Compliance should not be the primary focus lack of compliance is a huge red flag Focus of the audit covers not only management systems but employee involvement and feedback. TQS Consulting, LLC

Leadership Involvement What is the level of Leadership’s involvement in Safety? The latest trends of management systems ISO 9001, 14001 is to place an emphasis on Leadership taking responsibility. Eliminated the need for a “representative” and instead focus on Leadership throughout the organization Gauging Leadership’s involvement can provide you with one of the best indicators of your Safety Culture. (Safety?) Does management: Practice what they preach: Attend safety meetings and complete training? Complete safety tasks that are required of all employees? I.e., Proactive activities such as Observation cards, safety walks, etc. Records from meetings, trainings and those leading indicators give you data that will illustrate management’s involvement. Wear the correct PPE when required? – President of a company asking employees about not wearing safety glasses while not wearing them himself? Future CEO who outlawed white shoes, even steel toe, because he knew if he saw white shoes then the person was not wearing the proper PPE. Engrain Safety in the process – Is safety a true part of the manufacturing /project process or are the catch words “Safety First” used to pull up safety so that it has a fighting chance. TQS Consulting, LLC

Measuring Leadership’s Safety Do they practice what they preach? Attend safety meetings Complete safety training Wear the correct PPE when required Safety Walks Complete Observation Cards Ensure the organization has adequate resources to address safety Complete safety tasks that are required of all employees? All of these can be easily measured. TQS Consulting, LLC

Practice What They Preach Has Leadership taken the necessary steps to ensure safety is integrated into the organization’s process(s) OR, are they using the “Safety First” crutch? Does management: Practice what they preach: Attend safety meetings and complete training? Complete safety tasks that are required of all employees? I.e., Proactive activities such as Observation cards, safety walks, etc. Records from meetings, trainings and those leading indicators give you data that will illustrate management’s involvement. Wear the correct PPE when required? – President of a company asking employees about not wearing safety glasses while not wearing them himself? Future CEO who outlawed white shoes, even steel toe, because he knew if he saw white shoes then the person was not wearing the proper PPE. TQS Consulting, LLC

“Safety First Crutch” Process Model Project Management Engineering Quality Safety Manufacturing Customer Service Delivery “Safety First” TQS Consulting, LLC

Plan Do Check Act What is YOUR Opinion? What are your observations of the organization’s Safety Culture? What is your gut feeling about your organization? Though not necessarily measurable, this is sometimes your best way to gauge your organization’s Safety Culture. TQS Consulting, LLC

For additional information: Timothy Grebe TQS Consulting, LLC (936) 522-6997 timothy@totalqualitysafety.com