Behavior-Based Safety Software

A key success factor in any implemented BBS Process is data management. The data is what enables continuous improvement and helps the observers keep score. Sometimes the reason workers are not improving in safety is because something is getting in the way. Identification of safety obstacles and barriers, and measuring their impact is a powerful tool in improving safety. Traditional safety tends to only focus on lagging indicators and failure rates. The percent safe provided by a behavioral safety approach, is a great leading metric for comparison to the downstream metrics of accident rates, severity rates, costs of accidents etc.

To Purchase, or Create?

There are several software options available to an organization looking to implement a Behavior-Based Safety process. They range from spreadsheet tools to installed or online databases. ProAct Safety® is familiar with all major methodologies and applications currently in use throughout the world. Due to this unique position, our firm can play a support role in identifying, selecting and utilizing the most effective application that fits your needs. Many organizations choose to internally create an application. ProAct safety can provide the critical functional guidance necessary, to ensure a successful outcome.

Data Management and Problem Solving

It is critical for a steering team to design an effective data management and problem-solving technique, in conjunction with their behavior-based safety efforts. This data flows to the steering team and helps them to remove barriers to safety and change the influences that could tempt workers to take risks. Additionally, the ability to isolate problem areas increases the ability to focus corrective effort reducing wasted resources. The observations are most definitely a great tool for beginning the creation of a culture of safety awareness and development of a personal safety focus; however without a good Behavior-Based Safety data management strategy, the process may not be sustainable.

The data usually reveals first the weaknesses of the data, i.e. too little, not representative, not complete, what's and no why's on comments, etc. Once the data gathering process is adjusted, the data starts to reveal where the greatest risks are and why workers are taking them. The observation data combined with the original Pareto Analysis data helps to prioritize the risk issues for the team to address.

The steering team will need to be able to identify trends in the performance. It is important to know if risk taking is increasing, decreasing, or remaining relatively constant. Since the observers in a Behavior-Based Safety process cannot see every precaution taken or not taken at the site, it is important that the behaviors sampled are representative of what is happening across all times and locations at the site. If data is bunched into certain times or locations, the data may not be reliable.

Behavior-Based Safety Process considerations when determining software needs:

• First define the (paper) trail of how the completed checklists get to the data entry person
• Determine who the data entry person(s) will be
• Does the application need to be within the corporate infrastructure, an installable application, or online?
• How will the steering team/committee retrieve the data from the computer for their meetings (printed copies of reports vs. access to computer and projector to see the data in real time)
• What data will be posted and shared, and how will this be accomplished
• Will the team require support in understanding data and trends?

We recommend the following types of reports for Behavior-Based Safety Data Analysis