INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY, FIRE & ENVIRONMENT – ALLIED SCIENCE

ISSN 2349-977X

VOL. 6 ISSUE 1 OCT-DEC, 2015 (007-013)

Available online at www.ohsfejournal.com

A Study On Behavior Based Safety In Refinery

B.Sekara*, Dr. Nehal Anwar Siddiquib

a
M.Tech HSE, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, India

b
Head, Dept. HSE, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, India

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article history: This project is a perception survey of impact of behavior-based safety (BBS) on accident prevention in the
Received 02 Nov 15 construction project. Industry is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of taking human factors
Received in revised form 17 Nov 15 into account in safety management. Accidents are commonly attributed to at-risk behavior or human error.
Accepted 25 Nov 15 When accidents are investigated, many of the systemic causal factors are human in their origins, e.g.:
inadequate training, bad design or poor safety culture.

Keywords:
Behavior-based safety programs have become a popular approach to managing the people issues in safety.
Behavior Based Safety
It is a scientific way to understand why people behave the way they do when it comes to safety. If
Risk Behavior
properly applied an effective next step towards creating a truly proactive safety culture, where loss
Human Error prevention is a core value.
Accident Prevention
It assumes that majority of work related accidents are caused by workers at-risk behaviors which can be
reduced through behavior modification. An exploratory cross-sectional employees’ perception survey was
used in conducting the study, using questionnaire / interactions administered on randomly selected
employees of the two construction companies involved in the construction / maintenance project.

The results indicated that the implementation of behavior-based safety program in the construction project
to a large extent reduced workers at-risk behaviors and accident rate. The research concludes that
reduction in workers at-risk behaviors and accident rate is dependent on the implementation of behavior-
based safety program in the construction project. Continuous review of employees’ behavior
reinforcement techniques, encouragement of workers to observe/correct each other’s at-risk behaviors’,
provision of extensive training for B-Safe observers and continuous commitment of management/workers
to the elimination of at-risk behaviors in the workplace.
© 2015. Hosting by OHSFE Journal. All rights reserved.

Most employers and employees in the area of safety will agree that the

1. Introduction ultimate aim of a safety initiative is a “total safety culture”; however, this
concept is rarely defined. A total safety culture is a culture in which:
Some initiatives come from the employer, from the social partner
• individuals hold safety as a ‘value’ and not just apriority;
organizations, from state regulatory bodies, and some worthwhile
• individuals take responsibility for the safety of their co-
initiatives come from individual employees’ own insights, ideas, training
workers in addition to themselves; and
and development activities around health and safety.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +965-66129588.

E-mail address: [email protected]
Peer review under responsibility of Editor

Hosted by International Journal on Occupational Health & Safety, Fire & Environment. – Allied Scicence.

© 2015 Hosting by OHSFE Journal. All rights reserved. Int J OHSFE-Allied Sci./Vol. 6/Issue 1/Oct-Dec, 2015/007-013
 International Journal on Occupational Health & Safety, Fire & Environment – Allied Science ISSN 2349-977X

The following are some requirements for any approach to safety at work • To determine the extent at which reduction of workers at-risk
that brings about noticeable, lasting results and contributes to a total behaviors dependent on the implementation of behavior-based
safety culture: safety program in the construction project.
• To determine the extent at which accident rate reduction is
• A strong management commitment towards maintaining and dependent on the implementation of behavior-based safety
improving behavioral safety, witnessed in the regular acts of program in the construction / maintenance project.
individuals at management level
• 2. Respectful, trusting, open communication between In this paper two Oil & Gas construction projects were selected for BBS
management and employee groups about all aspects of safety observation. Accident trends were observed before and after
in the workplace. implementation of BBS and trends were analyzed.
• An open, feedback-rich culture among employees, which
enables employees to consistently learn and grow.
• A commitment to improving the profile of and attitude to 4. Goals & Goal Setting
health and safety, and increased employee engagement in
Identify and Select a BBS Partner to help implement a BBS Process at
safety.
refinery
• An emphasis on safe and unsafe behavior; not a sole
dependence on lagging indicators such as safety statistics.
4.1 Feedback:
• A strong, consistent, timely reaction to the discovery of unsafe
• Choose a goal relating to an activity - on a warehouse floor,
acts, whether they result in injury or not. Safety incidents are
‘use of machinery’ could be the target activity.
viewed as an opportunity to learn and improve.
• Then choose a goal for that activity, e.g. ‘always travel at or
• Generally transparent and fair leadership from all, including
below the recommended speed when operating a forklift
managers, supervisors, and owners.
truck’.
o Agree that goal with those using the machinery and
2. Review of Literature those in that vicinity.

2.1 The BBS Approach and Safety Improvement: o Agree upon a measurement system to determine

It revealed that the behavior based process was developed in 1998 and progress towards the goal.

was introduced as a part of a broader accident prevention programme, one

that was initially focused on „conventional‟ safety. It revealed that 5. Methodology / Planning of Work
behavioral safety does improve safety behavior and reduce injuries based
Behavioural safety has provided a platform for constructive debate, and
on the studies reviewed. The concept of BBS approached refers to a
the conflicting opinions have challenged the safety professional to learn
systematic application of psychological research on human behavior
more about the psychology of injury prevention. However, presentations
aimed at changing unsafe to safe behavior, agreed among researchers.
of behavioural safety are often not optimal with regard to gaining
acceptance of BBS principles and promoting participation with BBS
Hence, BBS is an analytical or data-driven approached, where critical
procedures. From the start, let’s realize that employee participation is
behavior get identified and targeted for change. Further highlighted that
actually key to the wide Spread popularity and success of BBS. In other
behavior based safety interventions are people focused and are often
words, BBS has already done more to get line workers willingly involved
based upon one to one or group observations of employees performing
in daily activities relevant to injury prevention than any other approach to
routine works tasks, feedback on safety related behavior, coaching and
occupational safety. It has provided principles employees can use to
mentoring.
understand why at-risk behaviours occur and why some safe behaviours
are not practiced on a regular basis. It has offered practical strategies for:
2.2 Decision to Pursue BBS Process:
(a) obtaining objective evidence of at-risk behaviours, (b) defining
• Generally good level of management support, employee
barriers to safe behaviour, (c) teaching ways to substitute safe for at-risk
involvement
work practices, (d) holding people accountable to improve their safety-
• Enjoying relatively low safety incident rates
related behaviours and help others do the same, and (e) demonstrating the
• Looking for the next step improvement in the safety process
effectiveness of specific BBS procedures and thereby justifying continued
• Identified the BBS Process as a possible alternative
management support.
• Decided to investigate BBS Process

Words are magical in the way they affect the minds of those who use
them…words have power to mold men’s thinking, to canalize their
3. Objectives & Scope feelings, to direct their willing and acting.

The objectives of the research are as follows:

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 International Journal on Occupational Health & Safety, Fire & Environment – Allied Science ISSN 2349-977X

This introductory quote from Aldous Huxley’s “Words and Their manage safety successfully, you must find ongoing objective and
Meanings” reflects the power of words to shape our feelings, impartial measures of performance that enable regular evaluation of
expectancies, attitudes, and behaviours. People, in fact acknowledge the progress, and motivate employees to participate in an achievement-
influence of words on behaviour when they say things like, “Say that oriented process. The principles and procedures of BBS embrace ways to
enough times and you’ll start to believe it,” “Can I talk you into doing me make this happen, including: Develop up-stream process measures such
a favor?”, and “Do as I say, not as I do.” Behavioural safety is an as number of audits completed or percentage of safe behaviours occurring.
approach for analyzing what needs to be done to make safe behaviour • Set process-oriented goals that are specific, motivational,
more probable and at-risk behaviour less probable. Then, with BBS • achievable, relevant, traceable, and shared.
principles and procedures, line workers are empowered to help each other • Discuss safety performance in terms of accomplishment– what
eliminate barriers to safe behaviour and factors that motivate at-risk people have done for safety, and what additional achievement
behaviour. potential is within their domain of control.
• Recognize individuals appropriately for their
The letters of SMART represent the essential components of an effective accomplishments.
goal – Specific, Motivational, Attainable, Relevant, and Trackable. Goals • Celebrate group or team accomplishments on a regular basis.
for teams are SMARTS, with the added “S” referring to “Shared.”
Obviously, team members need to share the responsibility of reaching a 5.1 Factors Affecting Safety Performance
team goal. Elsewhere I explain how to apply consensus-building There are many factors which can affect the safety performance as the
exercises to get team buy-in and a shared commitment for a goal with safety at work is a complex phenomenon, and the subject of safety
SMARTS. performance in the oil and gas industry is even more complicated to
understand.
Teach employees (especially managers) to talk about zero injuries as a
purpose or vision. The ultimate result of gaining and sustaining Human factors
maximum employee involvement in BBS is an injury-free work culture. Human factor is important sub dimension to explain human involvement
So our purpose for getting more people involved in BBS is to reach and towards safety behavior and its nature how human deals in with life. The
maintain zero injuries. Participation is needed for various process workplace safety can be improved the workers need to give importance to
activities that contribute to injury prevention and the attainment of our safety measure and related issues. It is a combine effort to recognize and
vision of injury free. These process activities can be defined in terms of a then feel the responsibility to improve the safety conditions. When the
certain number of specific actions that need to occur in a given period of organization and job factors, and human and individual characteristics
time in order to be “successful.” Thus, teach workers how to set SMART which influences behavior at occupation in a manner that can help the
goals for process activities. These activities and their associated goals occupational safety and workers health
change continuously, but the vision of “zero injuries” remains the same.
Behavioral factors
Both the quantity and quality of participation in BBS activities depend on The behavioral factor of safety refers to employee motivation and
the numbers you use to evaluate success or failure. The bottom-line performance improvement through behavior constrains. Behavior factors
measure – total Recordable injury rate (TRIR) – provides neither base on safety provide more focus on effort of behavior rather than results
instructive guidance nor motivation to continue a particular safety such as accidents recorded. The behavior base safety refers to the
process. It tells us nothing about why we’re succeeding or failing behaviors which lead to reduction of risk behaviors and as a result reduce
(O’Brien, 2000). Yet companies are frequently ranked according to their accidents and injuries. When the accident or injury is recorded which is
OSHA recordable and lost-time injuries. And within organizations, related to behavior occurs, it is highly likely that the similar attitude has
individuals or work teams frequently earn a financial bonus according to not caused injury when previously experienced. Behavior based safety
outcomes. As per basic reinforcement principles of BBS, this motivates involvement are workers more emphasis on group observation of workers
employees to cover-up their injuries and stifles the very kinds of performing regular work. If safety oriented programs are encouraged
communication needed to prevent injuries. Instead, keep score on the works can change their behavior and mold their attitude to act safely.
various proactive things individuals and groups do for safety. For
example, monitor the numbers of near hits, property damage incidents, Economic Factors
and injuries reported. Track the number of corrective actions The economic factors deals in term of monetary values which are
implemented and evaluated, the number of environmental and behavioural associated with safety such as, hazard pay. Compensation base on the
audits conducted the number of environmental hazards eliminated, the accident is very important. In most of the cases money can never
number of safety suggestions and safety work orders submitted, and so on. compensate the life of any worker who lost his life but can only
Graph and post the percentage of individuals who participate in various temporarily relief the pain of one who had losses one. The economic
safety-related activities, as well as the percentage of safe work factor depends on the organizational polices and may vary from company
environments and behaviours observed during systematic audits. Now to company. Therefore there is a difference procedure for payment to
you have an accountability system that can facilitate participation. To individual in term of overtime, bonus or profit sharing, which likewise

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 International Journal on Occupational Health & Safety, Fire & Environment – Allied Science ISSN 2349-977X

motivate worker or encourage the workers operational duties within the • Participation in the process needs to be growing and regularly
organization. The economic factor can also improve the occupational measured.
safety by providing appropriate equipment and other relevant safety • A careful separation needs to be maintained between BBS and
prevention tools. any disciplinary measures.
• It has to have a review and continuous improvement process
for sustainability.

6. Management Practices on Safety Performance

Management practices are aimed to prevent occupational accidents at

8. Behavior Based Safety (BBS) Approach
work, which is an approach to control the workplace accidents. In
essence, some authors have established about management practices, Within BBS, behavior is explained in terms of the ABC model
according to Ali, Abdullah & Subramanian (2009), stated that (Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence).
management practices are an important factor of an organization’s and it
plays an effective role in reducing workplace injuries. The extract of the Antecedent
definition of management practice is to share the common beliefs and A stimulus or event that occurs before a behavior in time. This stimulus or
values that safety is at preference. The effectiveness of the safety depends event may result in the behavior. Work examples Include goals, policies,
on how it can be achieved when there is a proper management of the training, job aids, and guides.
interaction between people and technology. However, occupational
accidents in the workplace do occur when there is no proper integration Behavior
between the people who are tends to be safe and unsafe behavior as per Anything that we can see an individual do, or say.
their feedback.
Consequence
The basic behavior-based process consists of identifying observable safe A stimulus or event that occurs after a behavior in time. This consequence
behaviors upstream in the process. Then, identification of the antecedents could increase or decrease behavior in the future, depending on its
(activators) that encourage these safe behaviors is required for workers to reinforcing or punishing properties. Work examples include feedback,
practice it. Recognition of antecedents that discourage safe behaviors is recognition, task completion, goal achievement, rewards.
required and removes them. Behaviorist theory said those consequences
(reinforcement)that are positive, immediate and certain (rewards) will Developed a Step Approach
keep employees working safely. Negative consequences which are Step One-Site Preparation and Site Assessment
immediate and certain (rewards) discourage unsafe behaviors. Step Two-Training and Process Kickoff
Step Three-Ongoing Activities and Continual Improvement

BBS – BUILD BUSINESS SAFELY

• Generally safety function is organized by the HSE Dept.
• BBS means to include everyone to care for and remove/correct
• Unsafe behavior on the spot.
• Unsafe behavior is recognized as the root cause for all
Accidents.

7. Management Practices on Safety Performance

An initial commitment of support needs to be made by all key players.

• Meticulous and consistent communications need to occur
between process leaders and organizational leaders
• Potential barriers need to be identified and addressed in the
strategic plan.
• Expectations need to be clear and progress toward goals needs
to be regularly measured.
• Ownership and accountability need to be defined and
reinforced at all Levels
Questions asked by management before BBS launch
• How to select observers?
Identified Key Factors for a Successful BBS Process:
• Are there any implementation problems?
• Who should form a steering committee?
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 International Journal on Occupational Health & Safety, Fire & Environment – Allied Science ISSN 2349-977X

• Is separate training necessary for observers? assessment, the choice of observers could be any combination of
• Is training required for steering committee? management and floor employees.
• Who should be an observer?
Attitude of Leaders
Steering BBS Team for Each Location The coach of an athletic team can make or break momentum. Coaches
initiate and support momentum by helping both individuals and the team
• Formation of Steering BBS Team for each location recognize their accomplishments. This starts with a clear statement of a
• Ensuring strong leadership drive by all OICs/HODs for BBS vision and attainable goals. Then the leader enthusiastically holds
project activities. individuals and the team accountable for achieving these goals.

A positive coach can even help members of a losing team feel better
about themselves, and give momentum a chance. The key is to find
pockets of excellence to acknowledge. This builds self-confidence and
self-efficacy. Then specific corrective feedback will be accepted as key to
being more successful, and to building more momentum. It does little
good for safety leaders to reprimand individuals or teams for a poor safety
record, unless they also provide a method people can use to perform
better. And the leader must explain and support the improvement method
with confidence, commitment, and enthusiasm. For momentum to build
and continue, support means more than providing necessary resources. It
means looking for success stories to recognize and celebrate. This helps
BBS LEADS TO REDUCTION IN UNSAFE BEHAVIOURS to develop feelings of achievement among those directly involved (the
AND THUS A FALL IN ACCIDENTS team) and an optimistic atmosphere from others (the work culture). These
are the ingredients for safety momentum.
Strategic Plan/ Deployment
The steering team members are selected based on the needs and culture at BBS Practical Awareness
the location.
In addition, they also play a key role in developing site strategy, which • One-day BBS practical awareness training as BBS observers
minimizes perceptions of change and tailors the process to the individual for each location,
site. • Issuing BBS sticker to be put on the helmet as an identity;
Team can be formed from existing committees/ teams • Issuing Training Attendance Certificate to all participants as
motivation factor.
• Participants Evaluation of BBS Training

BBS Monthly Review

• BBS Monthly Review by Steering Teams by each location and
Compliance with its proceedings
• Corporate Apex Implementation Team Review on BBS
monthly progress
• Including BBS awareness training in contractors / Vendors.
• Rewarding best BBS observers based on maximum
observation.
• Celebration of BBS annual day

Visible Outcomes
• Comparing injury data every 6 months before/after launch date
of BBS and

Develop the Observation Process • Observable decline in unsafe behaviors/ conditions

• Organizations that fail to take a scientific approach to safety’s

Observer Process human-behavior element are gambling with their futures and

The steering team selects observers best suited to the behaviours and are ultimately only safe by accidents.

locations identified in the site assessment. Based again on the site

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 International Journal on Occupational Health & Safety, Fire & Environment – Allied Science ISSN 2349-977X

FINALLY
9. Conclusion
Our target is zero accident by focusing on ‘Zero Unsafe Behavior’ which
is the root cause of any incident by involving all employees and The main objective of this paper was to review the related empirical
contractors' workmen in BBS approach. literatures and highlight the need to investigate safety performance with
respect to oil and gas industry. Base of the past

BBS Recommendations Literature it is concluded that there is an influence of organizational

factors on the work place safety performance oil and gas industry.
• Safety Statistics board should also reflect the percentage of
On the other hand the dimension of managerial practices such as training,
SUSA.
reward, management commitment seems to be the factors which can help
• Safety Motivation / Recognition need to be introduced in the to prevent work place injuries.
plant. BBS Observations to be linked to performance
objective. The second variable which is use as an independent variable is defining
work place leadership style influence on safety performance. Base on the
• HSE Index should include the monthly % of Unsafe/at-risk.
past literature, explaining the influence of leadership style on workplace
• Behavior which is the “root cause” of any incident in the plant. safety performance, has found to have a positive significant relationship
between leadership style and work place safety performance. These
Lesson Learnt studies suggest improving safety performance by providing a well-
managed system that includes the consideration of leadership style, work
• Secure top senior and location management support for
place training and a feedback or reporting system for any injuries
the effort Communicate process expectations up front happened on the work place.
before you begin to implement a site process
• The process kickoff can take longer than expected However, management practices in this study have investigated the nature
of occupational injuries at work, which is an approach to control and
Communicate Successes and Activities Widely
prevent the workplace injuries. If proper procedures and knowledge for
• Its hard work to maintain momentum and Growth safety is provided to the workers the human error can be reduced and
• Done correctly, the process is a very positive addition to work place injuries can be controlled
the safety effort.
The BBS approach summarized here provide stools and procedures
employees can use to take control of their own safety performance,
thereby enabling a bottom-up empowerment approach to reducing
occupational risks and preventing workplace injuries.

It was recognized that the BBS process provided progress - but not the
total desired results. BBS addresses only improved safety – and then only
in a behavioral context. It was found that as a result, BBS produces only
partial results. The focus is only indirectly on an employee’s motivation
through a four-tier approach:

1. Management commitment & employee participation

2. Worksite Analysis

3. Hazard Prevention and Control

4. Safety and Health Training

It is inevitable that some positive results will be achieved, since the focus
is (to whatever extent) on the person and the workplace.

Observable behaviour alone does not identify the whole person who
comes to work. Therefore, these initiatives still ignore the root of the issue
– the fact that behaviour is not a force unto itself: it is merely the mirror of
the motivational drives of the individual concerned. And to complicate
things, each individual has a unique set of motivational drives.

It can thus be concluded that BBS is a driver for culture change.

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 International Journal on Occupational Health & Safety, Fire & Environment – Allied Science ISSN 2349-977X

REFERENCES • Industrial Accident Prevention A Scientific Approach by H.W.

Heinrich on Accident causation.
• Accident causation model by Frank E Bird.
• OSHA-Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, Bureau of Labor
• HSEMS of KNPC.
Statistics, Washington.
• HSEMS of KOC.
• Analyzing Construction site accidents in Kuwait- Hashem Al
• BBS Program of KNPC.
Tabtabai, Kuwait University.
• SOC Program of KOC.
• An injury risk model for large construction projects-
• Arab Times article on Kuwait labor Statistics
• Soren Spangenberg,National Research Centre for the Working
• Arab Times article on Injury Statistics of Construction workers
Environment, Denmark.
in Kuwait

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