{"id":731,"date":"2020-02-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-25T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/compliance-signs.local\/behavior-based-approach-to-construction-safety\/"},"modified":"2022-07-28T11:17:41","modified_gmt":"2022-07-28T15:17:41","slug":"behavior-based-approach-to-construction-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.compliancesigns.com\/blog\/behavior-based-approach-to-construction-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Behavior-Based Approach Can Enhance Construction Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The safety management philosophy of \u201cI\u2019m going to catch you doing bad things, and I\u2019ll punish you for them\u201d is far too prevalent on construction sites. To find a better method, consider what the world\u2019s most successful manufacturers have learned: behavior-based safety works better. That’s the recommendation of the safety experts at Safety Management Group<\/a> in Indianapolis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When manufacturers realized the key to achieving performance and quality was to help their workers change their behavior, the situation improved. They began to take a different approach with all facets of the manufacturing process \u2014 including safety \u2014 and achieved success. Workers began to take a greater responsibility over all aspects of their jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behavior-based safety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the basic elements of behavior-based safety is recognizing that changes in behavior begin with changes in attitude. It\u2019s unreasonable to expect a worker to act differently if he doesn\u2019t have a genuine and personal interest in making a change. If safety becomes just one more top-down command workers are expected to obey \u201cjust because,\u201d the best they\u2019ll offer is grudging acceptance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, if workers are given a significant amount of control over safety in their workplace, and realize that they and their co-workers have the most to benefit, they will look at safety in an entirely new way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s where a jobsite safety committee comes in. The committee includes representatives of each of the trades and\/or contractor companies working on a site. Its primary purpose is increasing co-workers\u2019 interest in and awareness of safer work practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promoting safety through multiple channels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The committee works as a team to \u201cmarket\u201d safety to fellow workers, educating them about the importance of safety and monitoring their compliance, with an emphasis on recognizing \u201cgood\u201d behavior, rather than penalizing \u201cbad\u201d behavior. Both workers and owners benefit from behavior-based programs, but they\u2019re not the only ones. Outside contractors on a site gain from employees who have developed a better understanding of the value of safe work practices and a sense of self-determination and personal responsibility. That typically has the long-term effect of reducing claims, as well as other benefits that aren\u2019t as easy to quantify, such as greater job satisfaction and an enhanced appreciation for quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A post on the Safety Management Group site gives additional details on behavior-based safety and shares real-world experiences with this approach. It’s well worth a read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behavior-based safety resources:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n