15 May 2023
The Importance of Safety Culture
In my role as a Safety Advisor, I am lucky enough to be exposed to many different cultures and types of operations. Through this exposure and in speaking with colleagues from various regions around the world, it is clear to me that individual organisations need to be increasingly mindful of the state of the safety culture within their operation.
Many have expressed that employee turnover has, in some cases, reached up to 50%. How does this turnover affect the embedded positive safety culture they may have previously enjoyed? Have the main safety champions left the company? Is management still as committed as in previous regimes? Is reporting down or performance degraded? Do you really know what is happening in the operation?
It is my opinion that now is the time to look internally and measure your safety culture. Typically, safety culture is measured through questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, observations and/or document reviews. We need to understand how people feel, what people do, and what the organisation has in place.
Measuring on a regular basis allows management to monitor the leading indicators of the safety culture in the organisation and to understand how people feel about the organisation and how importantly safety is perceived, identify strengths, weaknesses and differences, and understand how changes have impacted safety performance. This information allows leaders to make the appropriate changes that promote desired safety behaviours.
Safety Culture is at the forefront of a successful safety management system (SMS) and safety management requires organisations to manage the safety risks associated with organisational and operational changes. All of the changes that have happened over the past few years have potentially led to concerns about workload and job security, which can have a negative impact on safety culture. Ensuring personnel understand their role and are involved in the ongoing development of the changes can positively influence safety culture.
Safety performance is directly impacted by the organisations’ safety culture. If the organisation does not place importance on safety and safety behaviours, unsafe decisions leading to incidents and accidents may be the result. Conversely, if the safety metrics that measure performance are inadequate, a false sense of security may be given. Without the right guidance by management, then unsafe behaviours can quickly permeate the operation. Therefore, safety culture will significantly influence a successful and high performing SMS.
We need to understand how people feel, what people do, and what the organisation has in place.
Safety Culture Elements and Influencers
James Reason identified the following elements that influence a positive safety culture. It must be noted that inter-relationships exist between the elements and it is imperative that management establishes, and commits to, the policies, procedures and tools to foster these elements.
Informed Culture
Those who manage and operate the system have current knowledge about human, technical, organisational and environmental factors that determine the safety of the system.
Flexible Culture
A culture in which an organisation is able to reconfigure itself in the face of high tempo operations or certain kinds of danger – often shifting from the conventional hierarchical mode to a flatter mode.
Learning Culture
An organisation must possess the willingness and the competence to draw the right conclusions from its safety information system and the will to implement major reforms.
Just Culture
An atmosphere of trust in which people are encouraged/rewarded for providing essential safety related information, but are clear on the line between acceptable and unacceptable behaviours.
Reporting Culture
An organisational climate in which people are prepared to report errors and near-misses.
To support safety culture and the influencing elements, it is imperative that top-level management support and commitment is highly visible to the differing levels of the organisation. If leaders say safety is their top priority, but ignore safety when production pressures surface, employees will learn that safety is truly not the most important value. As previously discussed, management defines the safety culture and influences the attitudes and actions of others.
The Federal Aviation Administration AC 120-92B states: ‘Cultures are the product of the values and actions of the organisation’s leadership as well as the results of organisational learning’. Cultures are not really “created” or “implemented:” they emerge over time as a result of experience. As we mentioned earlier, the changes and turnover in the industry today should raise a caution to us all and we need to keep an eye on our safety culture and influencers.
For additional discussion or information on how SOAR can assist you in your safety culture journey, please contact me at sandy_lonsbury@ajg.com.
What is SOAR?
SOAR, or Safety & Operational Aviation Risk Solutions, is a Gallagher consultancy and risk management service for the global Aviation and Aerospace industry. SOAR provides clients with the services and solutions they need to help identify and mitigate the sources of risk within their aviation business, increasing their efficiency and productivity.
Arthur J. Gallagher (UK) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Office: The Walbrook Building, 25 Walbrook, London EC4N 8AW. Registered in England and Wales. Company Number: 119013.