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Reinforcement Based Safety ¤ Background to SWG Reinforcement Based Safety Technologies
¤ The Integrated Safety Model ¤ What is Reinforcement Based Safety? ¤ The RBS Culture Change Implementation Process - a summary ¤ The RBS Culture Change Process - the Benefits Background to SWG Reinforcement Based Safety (RBS) TechnologiesThe RBS technologies SWG employs evolved from the work of Alex Jankiewicz initiated in 1989 with the aluminium (Alcoa) and chemical industries (Dow) in Australia. This behaviour/culture change technology has been subsequently refined and developed over more than 150 implementations adapted to a diverse range of client needs in Australia, Singapore and PNG. The fundamental principle of the RBS process is that it enhances the ability of the individual to stay aware of and anticipate the possible situations that could evolve around them on a moment-to-moment basis and across all types of situations. For more details about RBS Technologies please contact Liz Nicol. The Integrated Safety ModelAustralian health and safety legislation focuses on a "safe place" approach for the management of risk in the workplace as a means of protecting people. The basic premise behind this is the belief that all risks can be eliminated through conditions and systems improvement. A perfect world may see this occur; the reality however, is that it won't. If we lived in a risk free world, life would be very different, quite simply it would be doubtful that we would ever achieve anything. Whilst the major effort in the workplace must be to strive toward the elimination of risk, there will always be the unknown or unexpected and it is for this reason that we need to adopt various levels of the hierarchy of controls, the control hierarchy can only be applied to known hazards. The other problem with this approach is that when an accident occurs, quite clearly the workplace was not safe and therefore the employer is in breach of the law and open to litigation. The alternative is "safe place" + "safe person". In recent years this integrated approach has become part of the safety management 'toolbox' with safety leader organisations globally. The approach focuses on two key areas, these being the responsibility of the organisation and those of the individual. Importantly it has created a culture of self - assessment and peer feedback that changes the safety paradigm.
Management can only effectively address certain elements of a company's safety culture: SAFE work conditions & equipment and SAFE work practices. Eventually, employee ownership of safety either comes to serve as the foundation for continued evolution of the safety improvement process, or an impossible obstacle. At some point, the workforce, supported by Supervisors as COACHES must drive the safety culture through concern for their own (and their co-workers') personal safety and well-being. THINKsafe Bsafe provides the means by which this can be achieved. We help adapt the process to meet the specific requirements of a work group and with them address the system-level causes of at-risk behaviour. What is Reinforcement Based Safety?Behaviour-based observation and feedback (culture change) process provides visibility and control over upstream indicators of safety performance, namely, safe and at-risk behaviours RBS is a systematic process using simple but effective techniques where employees observe each other (or themselves) then give appropriate one-on-one coaching feedback regarding safety related behaviours. Observation data is collected and analysed to identify where barriers to safe behaviour need to be addressed by the team. As team members become more comfortable with the formal observation process, they begin to observe and give behaviour - based feedback informally as safety coaching becomes a natural part of the work culture. The program includes leadership coaching for management, which identifies the behaviours required for safe habits at all levels in the organisation. The leadership elements underpin safety processes to ensure long term sustainability. The technology applied enables leaders at all levels to consistently pinpoint, measure and reinforce the required behaviours across all areas of the business through the Precision Leadership ™ process developed by Aubrey Daniels International in the US, and now offered by SWG in Australia. The RBS Culture Change Implementation Process - a summaryPrimary Concepts
Identifying Barriers to Safe Behaviour
Foundation Principles
Safe Behaviour Indicators (SBI's)
Observation & Feedback
Getting Started
The RBS Culture Change Process - the Benefits
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For long-term sustainability
of a safety culture improvement/maintenance both workplace controls and
human behaviour need to be addressed. A systemised "safe person" strategy
needs to be adopted and integrated into existing safety management system
in order to maximise the benefits and protect people's welfare. It is
the acknowledgement of the Integrated Safety Model that has brought the
SafetyWorks Group together to provide a holistic solution to Organisational
Safety Improvement Strategies.