A behavior-based safety observation sometimes referred to as a behavior-based check, is one of the best ways to collect data about the work environment and the levels of safety within an organization. A behavior-based safety observation will give you specific information regarding what your employees are doing, how they are doing it, and what outcomes result from that performance.

Behavior-Based Safety Observations (BBSOs) are one of the seven core BBS practices and an essential element of a successful behavior-based safety program. When most people think of safety observations they usually only consider the event or activity they were observing. While it is important not to overlook the specifics of an incident, focusing on observable behaviors offers a more comprehensive view of what causes unsafe acts and allows you to prevent their reoccurrence.

Behavior-based safety observations (BBSOs) are a safe and effective way to earn employee recognition for their exceptional safety behavior. BBSOs can be used by construction and industrial companies and other organizations that rely on the hard hats to get work done safely.

BBS Starts with Selecting and Observing Desired Safe Behaviors

BBS starts with a focus on behaviors, what you want a person to do, not the label they’re wearing. Selection and observation of desired behaviors are a fundamental part of behavioral support. In fact, the three components of BBS are:

1) Selecting and observing safe behavior

2) Reinforcing by shaping or delivering desired behavior

3) Maintaining by preventing problem behavior.

Behavioral Based Safety (BBS) is an internationally recognized method for preventing industrial accidents. The approach focuses on identifying unsafe behaviors and establishing systems that will prevent or stop them before they cause injuries or damage to the company.

Positive Feedback Is Essential to BBS

Positive feedback is essential to BBS. To understand the basic principles of positive feedback, it’s important to first look at negative feedback. Negative feedback has two components; one important for filtering signals (sending out only the desired information, rejecting noise), and one that produces self-correcting behavior (which can help drive evolutionary changes).

BBS Improvement Process:  

• Identify critical problem behaviors

One of the primary goals a Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) program should have is to identify and eliminate critical problem behaviors. The reason why this objective exists is that experienced drivers have a long list of these problem behaviors that they have learned from years of BBS development.

• Identify root causes

One of the most difficult things to do when creating a business or Process Safety Management, the process is to identify the root cause of a problem. A much more straightforward activity is to write out the process and add an action to overcome or remove an obstacle. There is always some kind of obstacle within a process, which could be attributed to many variables such as people, technology, and other considerations. The challenge is in identifying which variable needs attention in order to improve the process. Following the BBS improvement process will ensure you understand what you’re doing.

• Generate potential actions.

The BBS Improvement Process works best when the group first develops a list of all possible actions it can take. The list might include changes in workflow, changes of tools, improvements of people’s habits, and so on. The BBS Improvement process is a method of getting the facts of the matter regarding how things are working now. These facts are then used to generate potential ideas about how they could work better, or produce options for deciding between different ways of proceeding.

• Evaluate possible actions.

Not all processes are created equal. Some are vague and poorly documented, while others are extremely detailed and outlined. The bad process will lead to confusion and issues, while the good one will prevent these problems. Evaluate your BBS improvement process to determine if it is effective or needs an upgrade.

• Develop an action plan.

Improving your business process is a task that needs careful planning and implementation. It requires an action plan to be executed and measurable objectives. The goal is to develop and implement methods and procedures that allow the organization to successfully deliver services and products in a quicker, more efficient, and effective way.

• Implement an action plan

There are a number of approaches and steps that can be taken to improve your BBS, but instead of telling you the specifics of the process itself, we need to first discuss the development of your action plan. An action plan will inform and guide your specific improvements and keep things manageable and focused.

The BBS Improvement Process is a framework for assessing, planning, implementing, and monitoring business process improvement. Use this framework for all kinds of improvement initiatives — strategic planning, process reengineering, cycle time reduction, cross-functional process coordination, information management, etc.

• Conduct follow-up.

Conducting follow up with those you interviewed is an essential part of the process. It’s important to not only thank interviewees but also meet with them to review their answers and discuss any follow-ups about what they said.

How TheSafetyMaster can help

The Safety Master is a leading company providing Behaviour Based Safety (BBS) implementation service in India with expertise in all the steps needed for BBS implementation. The Safety Master offers solutions to many problems in the workplace. It has successfully improved the safety of many organizations with the services.

TheSafetyMaster is a leading company that provides BBS services in India in a range of sectors. We provide in-house training to our clients in order to achieve the desired results with the least possible disruption. Safety is a basic human right and it should be taken seriously by all parts of an organization at all levels. Our company provides an effective way to ensure that safety remains a top priority in everything you do. We assist businesses in dealing with any dangerous situations at the workplace, reduce risk factors and introduce an organizational culture that promotes safety from the ground up.

Behavior-based safety (BBS) is all about changes in behavior. It is an evident approach to make workers aware of their surroundings and reduce the risk substantially. TheSafetyMaster provides BBS training and HAZOP study to help individuals understand risks, take better precautions, avoid injuries, and reach the goals of the organization.