TUC Warns Safety Reps To Be Wary Of BS

The TUC is warning union reps to be on the lookout for behavioural safety (BS) schemes that pin the blame for injuries and illness at work on 'unsafe acts' by workers. The union body says the schemes - which also go by the name of 'behavioural modification' or 'behaviour based safety' - require that 'management should target specific behaviours and aim to change these based on observing and monitoring workers.'

The schemes which were first mentioned in the UK over ten years ago had a lot to do with Dupont Industry claims that health and safety was merely a matter of staff behaviour at work, and as a result of modifying that they claim to have reduced accidents to a bare minimum or almost nil!

One of the US companies involved in promoting this scheme claims they use the HSE's standards in producing health and safety management systems and that Behavioural managements schemes fit in perfectly with this process: ".... uses the schematic as the base for assessing the effectiveness of Safety Management Systems using audits based on British Health & Safety Executive documents HS(G) 65 and HS(G) 48. Assessments are converted into 'risk-weighted' scores, using our 'Safety Culture Profiling®'method.

They claim that their BS system can reduce accidents down to nil and increase individual business profit as a result. Interestingly no mention is made of the health and welfare of the employees, but purely that of the financial health and safety of the companies using the system.

They state that: "In partnership with clients, we create sustainable, long-term results by using best 'management of change' practices, developing milestones and measurable Key Performance Indicators.", in other words targeting, and go on to applaud the system saying: "Our professional services are based on our unique, integrated Safety Culture Profiling method that focuses on the interactions between Safety Management Systems, Safety Behavior and people's Hearts & Minds, which together forge a company's Safety Culture."

This weeks Risks gives further detail of the TUC guidance:

TUC's new online guide adds: 'Many behavioural safety programmes also are linked to punishing 'bad' behaviour, such as if a worker has an injury or rewarding 'good behaviour' such as an 'accident free' period.' TUC says a claim by firms selling behavioural safety programmes that almost all injuries result from unsafe acts by workers 'is disputed by almost all other health and safety practitioners who say that the main cause of injuries is failings in the management of health and safety, and that you cannot simply classify an injury as being caused by one single cause, as normally it will be caused by multiple factors that result from a failure to implement a safe system of working.'

The TUC guide adds: 'According to the HSE, 70 per cent of workplace deaths and injuries are caused by management failures.' The guide concludes: 'As behavioural safety focuses on the end point of a chain of events that lead to a worker doing something, it does not address the question of who makes the decisions about work speeds, productivity levels, shift patterns and how they relate to safety. For unions, the decisions made at boardroom level can have much more effect on injury rates than what individual workers do. It is not worker behaviour that should be the focus of action to improve safety but management behaviour, because management are in control of work and the workplace.'

The NW BTU Health & Safety Co-ord is currently finalising details of it's next Safety Seminar which will include detailed information about BS.

Source: TUC Risks / Unionsafety

You can download the TUC guide from the E-Library

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