How can you maintain a sustainable process safety culture?

To create a sustainable safety culture there must be a true commitment to engaging the workforce on a daily basis to not only reinforce process but also be able to react to changing conditions on the shop floor. Safety culture is not defined by what you do, it is defined by who you are.

To create a sustainable process safety culture, ALL formal leaders must have time for safety built into their job. Also, use in-process measures with a safety contribution focus instead of outcome measures to monitor improvement and show how the allocated safety work time was spent. Third, survey direct reports at least annually to assess the leader's day-to-day safety culture reinforcement soft skills. Finally, link results in these proactive areas (don't focus on the outcomes!) to EVERY leader's compensation package. In my numerous applications, doing this improves current safety performance by at least a factor of two. - Kevin McManus, Continuous Improvement Historian, Coach and PI Pro.

A fish rots from the head down (Erasmus). Anything about organizational culture like process safety culture always "a top to down" initiative never be a natural process. Because it will require relentless drive & efforts that can only sustain if it comes from the top leaders/management. It is not a voluntary initiative. It needs strong drive from the management. Many major incidents in the past have the very root cause about poor or deteriorated leadership commitment.

Este é o ponto de partida. A lideran?a é o exemplo a ser seguido Deve viver o que prega e acompanhar a jornada de perto. Criar mecanismos de respostas rápidas às ocorrências e análise das causas com profundidade e monitorar as a??es

In my experience, "SAFETY" goes beyond mere rules and procedures; it's a fundamental mindset. It doesn't happen overnight; it develops as individuals take personal responsibility. While many organizations prioritize safety internally, there's often a gap in extending this commitment. True safety leadership includes stakeholders like vendors, contractors, the community, and customers. This holistic approach must align with strategic policies and the principles of "Hoshin Kanri." Safety is a cultural shift that reaches beyond the organization, involving everyone from employees to external partners and the community. It's a dedicated commitment to fostering a safety mindset across the entire ecosystem.

Employee engagement thrives when employees believe their voices matter and their contributions are valued. Recognition, both professionally and financially, often motivates participation. Yet, technical divisions tend to exhibit more enthusiasm for engagement compared to corporate divisions. It's crucial to note that regardless of the opportunities for improvement, corporate divisions shouldn't place lower priority on engagement. Hence, fostering company-wide employee engagement is imperative.

I hate the use of the term "engagement", as it implies one direction (i.e. top down). Almost like military language... "we engaged the enemy". The use of the term "participation" implies it is a willingness not a forced requirement. Management needs to foster an environment where operators and maintenance techs WANT TO PARTICIPATE in their process safety matters (e.g. most of the PSM elements).

Safety is an important value in many organizations, and safety trainings are often conducted. However, three key points are often overlooked: Individual behavioural patterns: Some individuals engage in risky behaviours. Safety prioritization: Some individuals do not prioritize safety. Deliberative thinking: Not everyone has the ability to think carefully and make deliberate decisions about safety. To improve safety, organizations should encourage employees to reflect on their own safety behaviours. This can be done through introspection exercises, safety coaching, and other initiatives.

Employee engagement is the hallmark of an excellent/ world class work place. If people are engaged they will "act like owners" and demonstrate right set of behaviours driven by organisational vision and values. Servant leadership in particular supports in driving TEI (Total Employee Involvement)culture at workplace.

Employee engagement stands as a cornerstone in building and maintaining a robust process safety culture. My experience underscores the value of empowerment, from the shop floor to the boardroom. Each team member must be equipped with the necessary skills and understanding to participate in safety-related decision-making actively. Beyond compliance, organizations must incentivize positive contributions and create a transparent platform for reporting concerns. I believe in a culture where individuals are not just obligated but are motivated to act as custodians of safety, free from the fear of reprisal. This democratically infused safety environment amplifies leadership's commitment, sealing the loop of a truly sustainable safety culture.

I strongly hold that education and learning are essential for knowledge development. Nevertheless, true realization can only be achieved through "GENCHI GENBUTSU," which entails physically or virtually immersing oneself in processes to identify potential hazards. Another crucial element is "REFLECTION." Although it might be somewhat limited within individual organizations, the global landscape offers numerous learning incidents that organizations should incorporate into their learning and development practices and subsequently to become a part of policies, procedures and standards.

Learning and improvement is critical as learning also means personal improvement and it is the foundation of all the other improvements. Learning also improves the organisational capability if backed by action learning projects wherever applicable. Learning also leads to analysis and reflection which is so much important for "current state assessment", gap identification and devising plans to bridge those gaps.

Invest in comprehensive training programs to ensure that employees understand the principles of process safety, are competent in their roles, and are aware of the specific hazards associated with their processes. Regularly assess and update training programs to keep up with industry best practices.

Utilize best practices as codified in international, national, and local process safety standards. Participation in those safety standard committees not only helps in education but understanding and implementation of best practices.

Auch hier ist es Aufgabe der Führungskr?fte diesem Austausch eine Plattform zu bieten. Ansonsten wird es schwierig ?out of the Box Denken“ zu f?rdern.

Risk awareness and risk management is at the core because we should be aware of all the risks present and we should also have a plan to manage those risks well. Safety assessments like HIRA, JSA, FMEA & Ergonomic assessments like REBA/RULA and BRIEF & BEST (By Humantech) are few of the tools which can be used for assessing Safety and Ergonomic risks involved.Behaviour Based Safety (BBS) programs also help here as unsafe behaviours are as important as unsafe conditions . Habitual offenders need to be coached and corrected as safety is always a zero risk game.

In any high-risk industry, awareness and effective management of risks are non-negotiable for achieving a lasting safety culture. Hazard identification and risk assessment are foundational steps, but they must be part of an ongoing, evolving strategy. Employing a structured control hierarchy to mitigate risks is essential. Additionally, the reliability of equipment and systems cannot be compromised. Monitoring process parameters continually and preparing for emergency situations are equally critical. These comprehensive risk management practices, when routinely updated and enforced, create a proactive safety environment that complements other elements like leadership, employee engagement, and continuous learning.

Dans le monde professionnel actuel, la sécurité occupe une place primordiale. Chaque entreprise le doit à travers la sensibilisation et une culture de sécurité solide pour réduire les risques d'accidents et de blessures. En créant un environnement de travail où la sécurité est valorisée, les employés sont incités à adopter des comportements sécuritaires au quotidien.

Engaging with stakeholders—ranging from regulators to communities—is essential for a comprehensive safety culture. My years in risk management highlight the need for open communication and collaboration with these external entities. Establishing a rapport and maintaining transparent dialogue fosters a mutually beneficial relationship. Meeting legal requirements is a given, but surpassing social expectations can make a notable difference. This includes not just delivering on promises but also actively seeking and responding to feedback and concerns. By integrating stakeholder perspectives into the safety strategy, organizations can create a holistic approach to safety, enhancing its sustainability.

Safety is everybody's business Stakeholders engagement is crucial as safety goes beyond our workplace and extends to the entire supply chain as a core value. Safety must govern and drive our behaviours at work place and needs lot of demonstration by Senior leadership in terms of their commitment to driving this cause. I will always remember our VP of Global supply chain from US, who used to ask this question to all of us before start of any meeting " Who is responsible for safety here? Please raise your hand."

The first and most important factor for a sustainable process safety culture is the commitment and involvement of the senior leadership. They need to demonstrate that they care about process safety, set clear expectations and goals, allocate adequate resources and support, and hold themselves and others accountable for performance. They also need to communicate regularly and effectively with all levels of the organization, and foster a culture of trust, openness, and learning.

En la mayoría de las ocasiones que me ha tocado ser parte u observador en la instalación de sistemas, culturas, metodologías la evaluación es el paso que menos se toma atención, las causas pueden ser muchas, sin embargo, si no llevamos un buen modelo de evaluación no conseguiremos los resultados deseados y la iniciativa estará condenada a fallar.

A robust Permit-To-Work process that is seen as a TOOL to Identify, Assess, and Control unrealized hazards associated with a non-routine work event. In the process safety arena, "free lancing" can not be accepted. Everything that happens in/on/adjacent to the covered process MUST be controlled via written procedures. However, we can not have a written procedure for every thing that may arise within the battery limits; hence, we need a safety process that will be equally as effective as a written and certified SOP. That process is a robust PTW process, which is ultimately a hazard analysis of sorts.

Open Communication: Encourage employees to report safety concerns or near misses without fear of retribution. An open dialog can identify and rectify potential hazards before they become incidents.

Recognition and Rewards: Recognize and reward teams and individuals who make significant contributions to process safety. This can motivate others to follow suit.

Encourage a culture of reporting by implementing a robust incident reporting system. Promote transparency and non-punitive reporting to capture near misses and potential hazards. Analyze and disseminate information from incidents to ensure that lessons learned are effectively communicated and integrated into the organization's safety practices.

Learning from Incidents: When accidents or near misses occur, thoroughly investigate the root causes. Implement corrective actions and share learnings across the organization.