Safety culture changing towards

Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. Put everyone in the company to work to achieve a change in the safety mind set. Create safe work practices or safety procedures for the entire operation. Make things consistent. Work toward a common vision of zero incidents. Promote a positive safety culture change. (J. Roughton, J. Mercuric)... 

This goes to show that everyone has a different way of solving problems. We all learn by trial and error. Sometimes we get things to work right the first time other times we do not. We must always strive for the best, always look for proven methods, and avoid reinventing the wheel. The management system must always be adaptable to enable continuous improvement. Any company that institutes a cultural change toward the zero-incidents concept is bound to see safety improvements that the entire workforce can be proud of. 

Different metrics may be used to describe past performance, predict future performance, and encourage behavioral change. They are a means to evaluate the overall system performance and to develop a path toward superior process safety performance. This is accomplished by identifying where the current performance falls within a spectrum of excellent-to-poor performance. Such information will allow executives and site management to develop plans to address the specific improvement opportunities that could lead to measurable improvement in process safety. Good process safety metrics reinforce a process safety culture that promotes the belief that process safety incidents are preventable, that improvement is continuous, and that policies and procedures are necessary and will be followed. Continuous improvement is necessary and any improvement program will be based on measurable elements. Therefore, to continuously improve performance, organizations must develop and implement effective process safety metrics. 

This chapter discusses the following final steps toward changing the workplace safety culture ... 

Summarising the various concepts and definitions proposed, safety culture appears to be the broader, manifest concept behind the fiamewoik of safety climate. Safety cultme is the source for patterns of behaviour which can be observed, described and changed (Goodmaim 2004), whereas safely climate is the sum of behaviours and attitudes based on common assumptions and beliefs toward patient safety. Cox and Flin (1998) describe culture as an organisation s personality while climate is seen as the organisation s mood . 

Recognizing patients and families as active participants in the system of care brings a wealth of expertise as well as additional safety nets to the sharp end of care. Discussions around important questions— What is the right care How is care most effectively delivered What is important to patients and families (consumers) about their health care What do health professionals need to know abont continually improving care —are propelling us toward a new frontier in om im-derstanding of care delivery (Morath, 1999). The answers to these qnestions lead us to the conclusion that the best health care experience is achieved with an informed patient and family (consumer), and the patient s and family s (consumer s) inclusion calls for cultural changes in our health care system. 

The shift in how paradigm is commonly defined does contain an important lesson. When we adopt and use new definitions, our mindset or perception changes. In other words, as I indicated in the previous chapter, we act ourselves into a new way of thinking or perceiving. This is a primary theme of this book. When employees get involved in more effective procedures to control safety, they develop a more constructive and optimistic attitude toward safety and the achievement of a Total Safety Culture. Let us consider the shifts in principles, procedures, beliefs, attitudes, or perceptions needed for the three new Es—ergonomics, empowerment, and evaluation—and for achieving a Total Safety Culture. 

If team members believe that they could not voice their legitimate concerns about safety problems that they encounter on the job without fear of reprisal, then that belief needs to be changed immediately. An attitude or perception that complaints from team members regar ng safe and healthful working conditions cause negative effects toward long-term successful employment will impede safety culture development. 

Another concern in the food safety arena is consumers who may prefer consuming raw or undercooked foods, despite the risks known to them. Although consumers need to be educated about avoiding such foods it is very difficult to change customs and cultures of a population and it may be more effective to consider other more cost-effective interventions (Molins, Motarjemi, and Kaferstein, 2001). However, increased public scrutiny about the use of antibiotics and other additives in the animal feed industry has now directed research toward alternative means for manipulating gastrointestinal microflora in livestock (Castillo et al., 2004). 

During development and change, individuals are not merely encouraged to work toward change they must take action when it is needed. Inaction in the face of safety problems must be unacceptable. This will result in pressure from all facets both peers and leaders to achieve a change of culture. There is no room in the culture of safety for those who uselessly a point finger and say, Safety is not my responsibility and file a report and turn their back on helping to fix it. 

Corporate culture (customs and courtesies) - An organization s culture, both in the private and public sectors, plays an integral role in the overall performance of its members and the products they produce. The customs and courtesies within the culture significantly influence individual behavior. Individuals adjust their behavior according to the ebb and flow of these customs and courtesies, which change with the turnover of managers and supervisors. The drift occurs as an individual s behavior adapts to the current status of safety with a bias toward reverting to the habits of the past. 

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