HRO Safety Culture
Introduction
We will address the following questions:
- What is safety culture and how can it be assessed?
- What is the purpose of a safety culture survey?
- How is a safety culture survey developed?
- What is measured by the safety culture survey?
- How does the safety culture survey compare to other frameworks?
- Do you have an example of a safety culture survey?
- How will the results be used?
What is safety culture and how can it be assessed?
- Safety culture: "an organization's values and behaviors - modeled by its leaders and internalized by its members - that serve to make [nuclear] safety the overriding priority" (NEI, 2009, p. i)
- Currently no best practice method - can use interviews, observations and/or surveys to assess
- Unlike other methods, surveys provide a quantitative, repeatable baseline
What is the purpose of a safety culture survey?
High reliability organizations (HROs) must successfully operate in high-hazard environments over long periods of time. This requires careful and systemic design and management of the organization. Safety culture is one of four foundational elements.
Texas Tech University is a leader in assessing HRO safety cultures.
Source:http://www.pantex.com/safety/HRO/Framework/Practices/index.htm
How is a safety culture survey developed?
- Literature review and onsite data collection to define safety culture model
- Question design
- Pre-test and pilot test
- Administration in Explosives Technology
- Validation of survey
- Identification of areas of strength and opportunities for improvement
- Development of suggested corrective actions
- Report to division management
What is measured by the safety culture survey?
The image below provides comparisons between the ISM Based Safety Culture Focus Areas, HRO practices, and the survey dimensions.
How does the safety culture survey compare to other frameworks?
The image below provides comparisons between the ISM Based Safety Culture Focus Areas, HRO practices, and the survey dimensions.
Do you have an example of a safety culture survey?
A recent safety culture survey we conducted contained the following and it could be completed in 20-40 minutes.
- Approximately 170 questions related to safety culture inputs and processes
- 5 questions related to safety outcomes
- 4 demographic questions
- 2 free response comments fields
How will the results be used?
- Results will be summarized in the form of a report for division managers.
- The report will identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.
- Results will also be used to set a quantitative baseline for future administrations (every two years).
- Results will only be shared at an aggregate level.
- Results will be analyzed and shared with one division as the next is being surveyed.
- At the end of the assessment, a organization-wide assessment report will be developed.