What challenges do leaders face when implementing process safety culture?

While aligning vision and strategy is vital, integrating process safety into the fabric of daily operations fosters a resilient safety culture. Encouraging dialogue that emphasizes safety's intrinsic link to productivity, quality, and employee well-being bridges the perceived gap between safety and performance. Leaders can leverage technology for real-time data collection, aiding in showcasing safety's positive impact on productivity metrics. By intertwining safety objectives with operational targets, leaders not only demonstrate their commitment but also create a shared responsibility for safety, aligning individual goals with overarching safety visions.

One of the many challenges with aligning vision and strategy when trying to implement / maintain a good process safety culture is communication of the vision & strategy. Leaders need to appreciate that the communication needs to be resolute and consistent, however be relatable to the audience regardless of level in the organisation - a high level presentation for senior leaders who are embedded in the strategy may not be effective for the teams on the ground who are carrying out the manual work. Use varying types and styles of communication to ensure an effective message is delivered.

The Challenges are: 1. Developing competence and accountability. 2. Encouraging learning and innovation. 3. Promoting collaboration and trust.

Addressing these challenges requires leadership commitment, effective communication strategies, and a sustained effort to embed a safety-conscious mindset throughout the organization.

The only way I find to overcome the resistance and apathy, is to get everyone involved, from CEO / MD level down to the lowest grade in the business. Convince them it will keep them safe at work, so they go home safe as they came to work safe.

Un bon programme de formation, un suivi des règles en vigueur et des personnes ressources sont nécessaires pour assurer la pérennité du volet santé et sécurité.

Es cierto que la competencia y la responsabilidad son fundamentales en una cultura de seguridad de procesos. A pesar de los desafíos, los líderes pueden abordar la falta de recursos mediante la planificación cuidadosa y la priorización de la formación. Además, fomentar una cultura de aprendizaje y mejora continua puede ayudar a superar obstáculos relacionados con la falta de experiencia. Para promover la responsabilidad, es esencial crear un entorno donde la rendición de cuentas sea constructiva y no punitiva, eliminando así la cultura de culpa, miedo o complacencia.

Developing a strong process safety culture is a challenge for leaders. Change resistance necessitates effective management, whereas awareness gaps require comprehensive initiatives. Implementation is hampered by a lack of resources. Clear strategies are required to overcome communication barriers and compliance issues. Delivering diverse workforce training is critical, necessitating tailored programs. Maintaining a safety culture demands continuous improvement while avoiding complacency. It is critical to have proactive leadership, effective communication, and continuous improvement.

Accountability is realised when there are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-based goals. As with most corporate KPI’s: what gets measured gets done.

For PS there's 14 elements that can be identify into 11 elements Including : 1.PSI : process safety information. 2.MOC : Management Of Change. 3.PHA : Process Hazards Analysis. 4.PSSR : Pre-Start-up Safety Review. 5.MIQA : Mechanical Integrity and Quality Assurance. 6.CSM : Contractor Safety Management. 7.II RCA : Root Cause Analysis 8.ERP : Emergency Response Planning. 9.Training. 10.Auditing. 11.Management and Leadership Commitment. Every one having role to implement elements among the structure of the organization.. Establishing targets, conducting training, and hosting monthly events accelerates process safety improvement, fostering swift organizational development.

Siempre necesario escuchar a los colaboradores, no se trata de resolverles sus problemas, pero si de ser empático con ellos, por ello nuevamente hacerles sentir parte del equipo, algunas veces un colaborador todo lo que necesita saber es que se valora su persona, su trabajo y sus ideas

Spending a lot of time in foreign locations as a safety professional, I have found you have to build a trust element with the workers and staff .You have to be able to show each group that you are there for their benefit. And that your are there for there best interest getting there may take some doing, you may have to deal with things like a cast social dynamic, religion, and lastly language.

Una de las primeras acciones a realizar es el respeto hacia los demás, eso da inicio a que las acciones como la confianza, colaboración y el trabajo en equipos sean transmitidas y recepcionadas de manera más clara y transparente.

Building a strong safety culture relies on fostering collaboration and trust among team members. Leaders must encourage open communication and collaboration across departments to share safety insights and best practices. Establishing a culture where employees feel comfortable reporting safety concerns without fear of reprisal is essential. Building trust involves demonstrating a genuine commitment to safety, actively listening to employee feedback, and ensuring that safety is a shared responsibility.Leaders must work towards breaking down silos and promoting a collaborative environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute to the collective goal of maintaining a safe workplace.

Trabajando la Disciplina Operativa tendras una apertura de tu personal, lo importante es involucrar al personal tanto de linea de mando como al manual (sindicalizado) en la elaboracion de procedimientos, manuales, instructivos, de tal manera que se empoderen y tengan el sentido de propiedad del sistema. Muy importante que el lider de ejemplo, para evitar la desmotivacion.

Fomentar la cultura de seguridad es un paso super importante en las organizaciones, dentro de los temas más difíciles de modificar son los comportamientos individuales y colectivos. Si bien una buena parte de los cambios culturales depende de los trabajadores, el involucramiento de los líderes en este proceso es fundamental. Los líderes a través de procesos de formación, generación de confianza y transferencia del conocimiento pueden lograr un camino de hacia seguridad basada en el comportamiento.

Encouraging learning and motivation is crucial for leaders implementing a process safety culture. It involves fostering a culture of continuous improvement, providing regular training, recognizing safe behaviors, and creating an environment where employees feel personally invested in workplace safety.

Dando seguimiento al apartado anterior, si mantienes al personal involucrado, motivado y sobre todo apropiado del sistema de administracion de la seguridad de los procesos, tendras retroalimentacion tanto hacia arriba como hacia abajo en los niveles del organigrama. Recordar que es importante las entrevistas con el personal que "mete las manos a los fierros", y ahi encontrar las mejoras a tu SASP.

Fomentar una cultura de aprendizaje e innovación es clave para el desarrollo continuo en seguridad de procesos. Superar desafíos relacionados con la falta de retroalimentación y reconocimiento implica reconocer y recompensar los esfuerzos de aprendizaje. Los líderes pueden abordar barreras y sesgos al promover un ambiente donde la mejora continua se celebra y se valora tanto como los éxitos. Facilitar una cultura que aprende de los fracasos requiere destigmatizar los errores y enfocarse en aprender de ellos para prevenir futuros incidentes. Al proporcionar el apoyo adecuado y alentar la innovación, los líderes pueden crear un entorno que impulse la evolución constante de la seguridad de procesos.

One task I am proud of was to develop a group of process safety experts. They were already an extraordinarily competent group of engineers and scientists. Our goal was better planning and execution of projects. Process safety is one aspect of 'doing it right, first time’, of business excellence. Don’t be half hearted, the consequences are too high.

Problem is that people are encouraged to hide things and follow production bosses not leaders that can do both. No many question procedures when not followed without any accountability and becoming complacent with no or very low trust and a solo thinking. Misplaced safety ownership, ineffective leadership from managers which leads to bad examples in operatives and standards not met. Companies should be able to say: “ over here, this is how we do it!” It’s like things don't get fixed or things don’t stay fixed for a very long time. I think if you have a good team, good leadership, good comms and monitor and supervise all works using competent ops and above all treat everyone the same with respect and a smile your in a good place.

Inculcar la prevención presenta desafíos, como cambiar mentalidades arraigadas y establecer hábitos proactivos. Los líderes pueden abordar esto mediante la educación constante sobre riesgos, destacando ejemplos concretos y promoviendo la responsabilidad individual en la seguridad. Además, establecer recompensas para comportamientos preventivos y crear una cultura que valore la anticipación de riesgos puede contribuir significativamente a superar este desafío.

The most difficult challenge for leaders while changing the culture is to change their own approach and methods of work with people. We like doing what we’ve always done. Leaders intend to do the same old things but harder, and that doesn’t get organisation to different results unfortunately. Cultural change requires from all organisation to do things differently, something that they didn’t do before, starting from the top. This is the key for success. I believe that leaders need somebody to lead them through their journey - to help them see what they miss, to be adviced and convinced about other methods of work which makes things better. It’s the most challenging part.

Leaders grapple with numerous challenges when instilling a process safety culture. Resistance to change, often stemming from established practices, poses a hurdle. Clear communication about the culture's significance and benefits is essential. Allocating ample resources amidst competing priorities, including time and budget, proves challenging. Effective training programs are necessary for fostering awareness and understanding. Measuring cultural change and ensuring sustained commitment from all levels of the organization are ongoing challenges. Addressing these complexities requires strategic planning, consistent communication, and a commitment to embedding safety as a core value throughout the organization.