AN INTRODUCTION TO

Behavior Based Safety (BBS)

Dr. A. V. Singh
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 Traditional Safety Model

Safety Training
Slogans
Policies

R
e R
p eg
ri ul
m Fewer Accidents at
a io
n ns
ds

Contests & Committees & Councils

Safety Meetings
Awards

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 Traditional Safety
Management

PPE Emergency Response Policies

ProceduresPurpose: To reduce/eliminate
Safety Rules injuries
Incident Investigation
Safety Management
Safety Meetings
in the workplace.
Audits/Inspections Industrial Hygiene
System Features
Limited effectiveness, why?
Training Strong reliance
SafetyonPermits Hazard Recognition
Antecedents
Fire Protection Engineering Ergonomics
Safety Surveys SHE Standards Safety Incentives
Job Safety Analysis JSO
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Please think . . .

How many of the above elements can be

directly traced to injury elimination just at
the moment the injury is about to occur ?

Question: Are injuries totally eliminated?

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Injury Statistics . . .

14 people die at work in US everyday

11,000 people suffer from disabling injury

everyday

Question: Are injuries totally eliminated?

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Injury Statistics . . . Year 2004 in US*

•5200 workplace fatalities

•3.8 fatalities per 100,000 workers
•3.9 million people suffer disabling injuries
•6.1 injuries or illnesses per 100 workers

Question: Are injuries totally eliminated?

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Injury Statistics . . . In INDIA

•124 people die at workplace everyday

•46575 people are injured
•32% contribution to global fatality at work
•37% of global burden of occupational injury

Question: Are injuries totally eliminated?

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To Conclude . . .

•Good Safety Management systems exist

•Still workplace is injury prone & not safe
•Injury although declined, still persists

WHAT IS MISSING?
WHERE IS THE CATCH?

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Scientifically proven that . . .

In 1951, Dr. Heinrich claimed that more than 90%

of injuries were caused by UNSAFE ACTS

DuPont proved by research that:

Injury Causes Percent

Injuries due to Unsafe Acts / Behavior 76
Injuries due to combination of Unsafe Behavior &
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Conditions
Injuries due Unsafe Conditions 4

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DOE, US Govt. found out that . . .

Percent by Cause (1999-2001)

100

80

60

40

20

0
Eq Pr o Per De Tra Ma O th
u ipm ce d son sig inin nag ers
ent ure nel n g em
Er r ent
or

Personnel errors (Unsafe Acts) was present in 77%

of incidents
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 DuPont Research found that . . .

1 Avoid
Fatal

30 LTAs

300 Non LTAs

3,000 Near Miss / First Aid

30,000 Hazards
(Unsafe Acts & Conditions)
Eliminate

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To Conclude . . .

Eliminate Unsafe Acts / Conditions = Avoid Injuries & Accidents

Safety
Activities

Fewer Unsafe
Acts
Fewer
Accidents

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Unsafe Acts & Objectives of BBS

1. Unsafe Acts is a behavioral process

2. Also defined as “at risk” behavior

Objective of BBS is to minimize “at risk”

behavior at workplace

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Principles of BBS

Behavior is the cause of accidents

Consequence motivate behavior
What gets measured, gets done
Feedback is essential to improvement
Quality is built early in the process
Conversations change organizations

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 Behavioral Safety
Management

PPE Purpose: To
Emergency Response
reduce/eliminate injuries Policies
in the workplace.
Procedures Safety Rules Incident Investigation
Safety Management
Improvement: Adding Consequences
Safety Meetings Audits/Inspections Industrial Hygiene
System Features
Training
But,
Safety Permits Hazard Recognition

Fire ProtectionStill limited Engineering

effectiveness, why? Ergonomics
Not integrated with other elements
Safety Surveys OSHA Standards Safety Incentives
Behavioral Safety Job Safety Analysis JSO
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 Behavioral Safety
Management
To be effective:
– Integrate the fundamental elements1
of BBS into the Safety Management
System elements
– How?
• Identify (pinpoint) critical behaviors
• Define behaviors precisely to measure
them reliably
• Implement mechanisms to determine
current status
• Provide feedback
• Reinforce progress
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What is Behavior?

Behavior is anything that a person says,

does, thinks or feels
Eg: Working at heights with safety belts

Behavior should be observable, specific

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What is Antecedent ?

Anything that occurs before or during the

behavior can be an antecedent for that
behavior
B: Working at heights with safety belts
A: Painful Memory of past accident

It is Antecedents that cause a certain types

of behavior to happen

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What is Consequence ?

Anything that occurs after a behavior

B: Working at heights with safety belts

A: Painful Memory of past accident
C: No more accidents

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The ABC of BBS Program

A: Antecedents – cause of certain behavior

B: Behavior – what you see a person do

C: Consequence – outcome of a behavior

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What is BBS Program?

Understand & Influence Antecedents

Make people behave safely, work safely

Minimize / eliminate workplace injuries

This is Zero Injury Culture too . . .

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BBS vs. Zero Injury

Zero Injury is the GOAL

BBS is the path to reach the GOAL

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How to Implement BBS ?

7 Steps Process

1. Identify Unsafe Acts in all your operations.

Make a list of safe acts for these unsafe acts.
2. Audit Unsafe Acts & Conditions. Report
3. Measure no. of safe / unsafe acts. Know
your scores
4. Set Improvement Goals. Identify actions to
achieve the goals. Implement Actions
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How to Implement BBS ?

7 Steps Process

5. Monitor actions implementation & trends of

Unsafe Acts & conditions

6. Continually improve performance

7. Recognize performers & celebrate
achievement

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 Q: Why focus on
behavior?
Serious Injuries
Reactive
Non Serious Injuries

Near Misses

At-Risk Behaviors
Proactive

Systems’ Weaknesses

A: It’s the best way of measuring how well your system is working!

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Recall . . .

Safety
Activities

Fewer Unsafe Acts

Fewer
Accidents

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What do we do now?

Safety
Activities BBS Program + Traditional
Model

Fewer Unsafe Acts

Fewer
Accidents

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Primary Team Roles

Management
 Lead by example
 Support the process
 Remove roadblocks
 Monitor success
 Provide resources

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Basic Elements of BBS

Identify/define targeted safe

behaviors.
Observe behaviors.
Measure process/activities.
Deliver feedback.
Deliver positive consequences.
Analyze variance/take action.
Improve process continuously.
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The Behavioral Process

CRITICAL SAFE
& PROCESS
RESULTS
SUPPORT
BEHAVIORS

PERFORMANCE
IMPROVEMENT PERFORMANCE

VERBAL &
GRAPHIC ON
PERFORMANCE

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If BBS has to Succeed then . . .

Top Management Commitment is essential

Ownership & involvement from all employees

Steering Committee to monitor in plants
Training to all on BBS & safety practices
Effective Feedback – Most important
Performance monitoring & Continual
improvement
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Safe Behavior

Is safe behavior an occupational necessity?

Is safety only at work place?

Don’t I want my son to drive safely & reach

home every day?

Can safe behavior be a philosophy of life?

Safe Behavior = Safety Assurance

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Thank you

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