“WORKING SAFELY GOES AGAINST HUMAN NATURE” ASSE Professional Development Conference Session # 754 June 16, 2010 Tom Harvey Elisa Kletter

Safety is not instinctive! Gain greater understanding of: decision making mental states human nature personal and group dynamics Why people do the things they do GOALSGOALS WORKING SAFELY GOES AGAINST HUMAN NATURE

Antecedent Triggers or activates a behavior Behavior An observable act Consequence Directly follows a behavior Behaviors & Safety A  B  C Analysis

Factors that Affect Decisions to Act Education Training Communication Interpersonal Relations Workgroup Dynamics Personality Attitudes Empowerment/Autonomy Authority Participation Heredity/Culture Task Design Leadership Risk Perceptions Conflict Resolution Risk Taking/Aversion Peer Pressure Organizational Culture Management of Change Expectations Habits

Discourage / Decrease the positive outcomes of unsafe behavior Discourage / Decrease the negative outcomes of safe behavior Reinforce / Increase the positive outcomes of safe behavior Reinforce / Increase the negative outcomes of unsafe behavior. Influence Behaviors and Actions Encourage safe behavior Discourage unsafe behavior Positive and Negative outcomes USEUSE Powerful outcomes affect repeatability of behavior

Safe Behaviors Unsafe Behaviors Negative outcomes Positive outcomes Fast-easy-less hassle R+ for good job Risk taking thrill Work with human nature, not against it! WHAT HOW Normalized Deviation

If you get away with a flawed safety decision one day or repeatedly, far from facing penalty you may actually end up rewarded, perhaps for boosting production. You may come to believe that what was thought to be unsafe is actually safe, based on your experience. BP Explosion – 2005 – 15 killed; 180 injured Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia

Normalized Deviation ASSIGNMENT: Identify examples of Normalized Deviation. Where evidence of a problem is minimized, condoned, or ignored and there is a growing tolerance for things that are not quite right!

Safe Behaviors Unsafe Behaviors Negative outcomes Positive outcomes Fast-easy-less hassle R+ for good job Risk taking thrill Decrease Increase Decrease Work with human nature, not against it! Longer and harder Poor procedures Frustration Uncomfortable PPE No injury Personal pride Group value Strong culture Injury potential Getting caught Doing wrong is never right! WHAT HOW Normalized Deviation

Discourage / Decrease the positive outcomes of unsafe behavior Influence Behaviors and Actions WHATHOW Fast-easy-less hassle R+ for good job Risk taking thrill Normalized Deviation Acknowledge difficulties Never condone Rigid performance standards Accountability Constructive Safety Feedback

Discourage / Decrease the negative outcomes of safe behavior Influence Behaviors and Actions WHATHOW Reasonable time frames Safe Operating Procedures Right PPE Remove barriers Longer and harder Poor Procedures Frustration Uncomfortable PPE

Encourage / Increase the positive outcomes of safe behavior Influence Behaviors and Actions WHATHOW No injury Personal pride Group value Strong culture RRRI “Thank You” Foster habits that create values

Encourage / Increase the negative outcomes of unsafe behavior Influence Behaviors and Actions WHATHOW Injury potential Getting caught Doing wrong is never right! Examples of injuries Sense of vulnerability – it can happen to you! “What If?” Punishment

Examples of injuries Sense of vulnerability – it can happen to you! “What If?” Punishment Safe Behaviors Unsafe Behaviors Negative outcomes Positive outcomes RRRI “Thank You” Develop habits that create values Reasonable time frames Safe Operating Procedures Right PPE Remove barriers Fast-easy-less hassle R+ for good job Risk taking thrill Normalized Deviation Decrease Increase Decrease Work with human nature, not against it! Acknowledge difficulties Never condone Rigid performance stds Accountability Constructive Feedback Longer and harder Poor procedures Frustration Uncomfortable PPE No injury Personal pride Group value Strong culture Injury potential Getting caught Doing wrong is never right! WHAT HOW

How to Align with Human Nature Never condone unsafe practices or situations Acknowledge the difficulty in working safely Instill widespread Constructive Safety Feedback Focus on means, not end result STOP schedules where time pressures force people to cut corners Improvement Strategies

How to Align with Human Nature ID and deal with risk takers, authority resisters, and other adverse mental states Let them know when they do it right. Do not reward unsafe behavior. Nip bad habits in the bud Foster a mindset of “vulnerability” “what if” and “It can happen to me” Identify and correct “Normalized Deviation” Use punishment the right way, only when warranted Improvement Strategies

Align with Human Nature “Do all the good you can, In all the ways you can, To all the souls you can, In every place you can, At all the times you can, With all the zeal you can, As long as ever you can” -John Wesley

“WORKING SAFELY GOES AGAINST HUMAN NATURE” ASSE Safety 2010 Session # 754 June 16, 2010 Tom Harvey Elisa Kletter