“I work for a large railroad, and we have behavior-based safety from one of the top ‘big name’ behavior-based safety consultants. I am an agreement employee and have coordinated the process for over two years. It has flat-lined, and we are now looking to go back and motivate our teams–or try to. I am not convinced the ‘same ‘ole materials’ will do the trick. I’m looking for fresh ideas. I am afraid we have too many so-called experts within who don’t understand the design of behavior-based safety, but I am only one voice. I know I don’t have all the answers, but I understand I know just enough to get me into problems. Management has invested big $$$, and they did put up some good numbers—which, in my opinion, were more the result of luck than the behavior-based safety process. Now they want to move in and manage in hopes of a repeat. We made all the classic mistakes–didn’t get union buy-in, no management involvement starting up, etc. They put the process in our ‘rank & file’ hands, which was a big mistake. I am afraid we are on a crash course……
…Can you help us Bill?” –anonymous behavior-based safety coordinator
If I had a nickel for every email like this I’ve received over the years, I’d be starring in my own permanent Corona Beer commercial.
Over my 25+ year history I’ve seen thousands of big-name, consultant-driven behavior-based safety systems thrive, strive, and then die. I’ve learned there are a couple of signs that tell you when your behavior-based safety program is sucking wind….
……do any of these sound familiar to you?
If you have observers who pencil whip and fake the observational data…… you may have behavior-based safety on Life Support…
If your behavior-based safety process started with lots of passion and fire but now it’s like shoveling out the barn to get participation…… you may have behavior-based safety on Life Support…
If you ask permission to do an observation of an employee and he tells you NO…… you may have behavior-based safety on Life Support…
If you have a hard time getting people to do observations…… you may have behavior-based safety on Life Support…
If you collect tons of data but never process, analyze, or communicate it back to your workers…….. you may have behavior-based safety on Life Support…
If you are struggling as a behavior-based safety coordinator to find ways that will positively reinforce achievements and you are sick and tired of t-shirts and ice cream parties…..you may have behavior-based safety on Life Support…
If your company just downsized half the workforce and you just lost your behavior-based safety coordinator…. you may have behavior-based safety on Life Support…
If your performance has plateaued or flat-lined…… you may have behavior-based safety on Life Support…
If you have behavior-based safety on Life Support, it’s time to put the FUN back in your process!
