BEHAVIOR-BASED SAFETYBehavior-Based Safety is a process that helps employees identify and choose a safe behavior over an unsafe one.

BASIC BEHAVIOR PRINCIPLESSafety in the workplace is a combination of three measurable components:

1. The Person2. Their Environment3. Their Behavior

Only when these three elements are combined can workplace accidents be eliminated.

BASIC BEHAVIOR PRINCIPLESThe person component consists of the employees’:

• Physical Capabilities• Experience• Training

BASIC BEHAVIOR PRINCIPLESThe work environment represents:

• Engineering Controls• Equipment• Job Task• Work Culture

BASIC BEHAVIOR PRINCIPLESThe final, most often overlooked component is behavior—what the person does on the job.

THE BEHAVIOR-BASED SAFETY PROCESSBehavior-based safety is based on four key components:

• A behavioral observation and feedback process

• A formal review of observation data

• Improvement goals• Reinforcement for

improvement and goal attainment

BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION AND FEEDBACKThis 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 DATAThe 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 DATAThe 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 GOALSSetting improvement goals increases the effectiveness of feedback and the success of the behavior-based safety process.

IMPROVEMENT GOALSThese goals can take different forms, such as:

1. Percent Safe Goals2. Process Goals3. Implementation Goals

REINFORCEMENT FOR IMPROVEMENT AND GOAL ATTAINMENTManagement 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• Increased Profitability