Behaviour-Based Safety:
‍A Complete Guide

Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) is well known in the HSE field for enhancing workplace safety. With the vast majority of accidents being caused by human error, behavior based safety helps us in preventing these mistakes by changing behaviors. According to the UK's Health and Safety Executive, human error accounts for 80% of all hazards in the oil and gas industry. To effectively implement BBS and reap its benefits, it's essential to understand the core skills and techniques involved.

‍

What is Behaviour-Based Safety?

Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) is about spotting and promoting safe actions before accidents happen in the first place. Instead of reacting to incidents, BBS takes a proactive approach to prevent them. It's about recognizing when people do the right thing and building a strong culture of safety.

Key Principles of Behaviour-Based Safety

1. Observation: Watch workers to identify safe and unsafe actions.
2. Feedback: Give positive feedback to encourage good behaviours. Correct unsafe ones constructively.
3. Engagement: Involve everyone to make safety a shared responsibility.
4. Improvement: Use what you learn to make safety practices better over time​.

Behaviour-Based Safety Process

Creating a comprehensive Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) program involves several essential steps:

1. ‍Conducting a Needs Assessment: Start by gathering data to understand the current safety culture and pinpoint areas needing improvement. Use surveys, interviews, and observations to collect this information.‍
2. Designing the Program with Clear Objectives: With the needs assessment complete, outline the program's goals and objectives. Make sure they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) to address identified needs effectively.‍
3. Selecting Appropriate Interventions: Choose interventions that will most effectively enhance safety behaviors based on the objectives. This could include training sessions, workshops, safety checklists, or implementing a BBS software.‍
4. Establishing Evaluation Methods: This might involve periodic safety audits, employee feedback surveys, and analysing incident reports to track improvements and spot further enhancement areas.

The ABC Model of Behaviour-Based Safety

BBS is based on psychological and behavioral theories like the ABC Model (Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence). The ABC model helps us understand what drives behaviour and how to influence it. It breaks behaviour into three simple parts:

• Antecedents: These are the triggers or cues that come before a behaviour. They set the stage and prompt people to act in a certain way.
• Behaviour: This is the observable action—what someone does or says.
• Consequences: These are the outcomes that follow a behaviour. They determine whether the behaviour is likely to happen again. Positive outcomes, or reinforcers, make it more likely, while negative outcomes, or punishers, reduce the chances.

Examples of BBS Practices

BBS in Action

Behaviour-Based Safety (BBS) comes to life through simple yet effective practices, such as:

• Observations: Supervisors and peers observe work activities to identify both safe and unsafe behaviours.
• Feedback: Safe behaviours are praised immediately, while unsafe ones are corrected constructively to encourage improvement.
• Discussions: Employees are involved in open discussions about their actions, fostering understanding and ownership of workplace safety.
• Recognition: Workers demonstrating safe practices are rewarded, reinforcing positive habits and encouraging others to follow suit​.

Behavioural-Safety Checklist

A behavioural-safety checklist is a great tool in BBS for ensuring consistent observations. Key items to include are:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Check if the right PPE is being worn and used correctly.
• Posture: Observe proper lifting techniques and ergonomic practices.
• Machine Safety: Ensure adherence to protocols when operating equipment.
• Housekeeping: Confirm that the workspace is tidy, with no tripping hazards.
• Communication: Check if workers are clearly and effectively communicating about potential risks
• State Awareness: Include prompts for workers to assess their mental and physical readiness, inspired by tools like YOUFactors.

Benefits of Behaviour-Based Safety

Implementing Behaviour-Based Safety (BBS) has proven to create significant, long-lasting improvements in workplace safety and culture such as:

• Enhances Safety:  SafeStart reveals that organisations using its methods experience error reductions of 30-70% within a short time frame. By addressing human errors and critical safety habits, SafeStart has proven to significantly lower risks both at work and beyond​​.
• Reduces Incidents: By focusing on proactive interventions, BBS helps minimise human errors, which are a leading cause of workplace hazards. Long-term studies confirm that BBS can sustain safety improvements for up to 14 years, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing incidents​.
• Improves Productivity: A safer workplace leads to fewer disruptions, allowing employees to focus on their tasks. This enhanced focus and reduced downtime improve overall productivity and operational efficiency.
• Empowers and Engages Employees: BBS encourages workers to take ownership of their safety and actively participate in creating a safer workplace. Regular feedback, recognition, and involvement build a strong safety culture where employees feel valued and engaged​.

Challenges and Solutions in Behaviour-Based Safety

Tackling Resistance to Change

To overcome resistance:

• Highlight the benefits of behavior-based safety training, such as improved safety and enhanced productivity.
• Involve skeptics early in the process by giving them meaningful roles in planning and decision-making. Engaging these individuals can help address their concerns, gain their buy-in, and ensure a smoother implementation of the safety program.
• Showcase success stories and positive outcomes from other companies that have implemented BBS effectively. Sharing examples of reduced accident rates, lower injury costs, and a stronger safety culture can illustrate the tangible benefits and motivate others to embrace the initiative.

Keeping Consistency Across the Board

To maintain consistency:

• Hold regular training sessions to keep everyone in the loop with the latest practices. Make these sessions engaging and hands-on with real-life scenarios and activities to make the learning stick.
• Provide clear, easy-to-access procedure documents. Include step-by-step instructions, visuals, and FAQs so employees can quickly find what they need without a hassle.
• Get leadership on board! Managers and supervisors should actively participate and support BBS initiatives. Their involvement shows top-down commitment and encourages everyone to take the program seriously.

Measuring Long-Term Impact

To measure long-term impact:

• Analyse safety metrics trends over extended periods to identify improvements or areas needing attention.
• Conduct long-term employee surveys to gather feedback on the BBS program’s effectiveness and areas for improvement.
• Periodically review the BBS program’s effectiveness through audits and evaluations, making necessary adjustments to maintain its relevance and efficacy.

How YOUFactors integrates in your BBS Strategy

The YOUFactors health and safety app enhances your Behaviour-Based Safety (BBS) strategy through digital learning and habit-building. It uses interactive micro-learning modules and nudge notifications to deliver engaging, bite-sized safety lessons. Tools like "Rate Your State" help employees assess their readiness to work, while features such as "Close Call Analysis" and "Social Sharing" encourage reflection on near-misses and collaboration. By fostering lasting habits and continuous improvement, YOUFactors empowers teams to reduce human errors effectively.

Start a free trial today or contact us to know more about how you can start your habit-building journey.