DESCRIPTION
EPC-UK has implemented an employee led program ‘Esprit d’Equipe’ (team spirit) to help develop the interdependent stage of safety* within its organisation. The Esprit d’Equipe program is employee led by 13 safety ambassadors. They have been selected to represent all the different operations working throughout the UK. The program built on a team approach to safety and included the following initiatives;
Understanding how behaviour impacts upon safety performance
The safety ambassadors prepared and delivered presentations to all employees. These interactive sessions included short, attention grabbing videos. The videos were used to help engage the participants in discussions about why people behave in the way that they do at times. It has provided a shared understanding of what drives behaviour.
Incident Peer Reviews
When incidents occur where the behaviour of those involved has had a significant impact, the safety ambassadors undertake ‘Peer Reviews’. These provide the opportunity, in a non-threatening environment, to discuss why the incident occurred, the drivers that created the behaviour and the unsafe condition. The individual involved has the opportunity to reflect on their part in the incident and is encouraged to learn from the experience, recognising the behaviour and thought process that should be applied in future.
Job Cycle Checks
An internal review of safety, which was based on the 8 elements of HSL’s SCT survey, had identified “Procedures” as the weakest area in EPC-UK. To help address this, a comprehensive process of checks was introduced. It involved observing and walking through every safety critical task in EPC-UK. The review was to ensure that the description of how each task is completed is accurate. That it is a safe method of working and the appropriate control measures are in place in the current risk assessment. This review is conducted in the workplace by those undertaking the task and the relevant supervisor / manager. It also serves as a competence assessment and verification.
Other initiatives delivered by the safety ambassadors to promote behaviour awareness include asking all employees to sign a ‘Safety Charter’, involvement in safety days, texting safety reminders to all company mobile phones, displaying messages on site electronic message boards and introducing our contractors to the concept of behavioural safety
*Interdependent safety stage - Dupont’s Bradley Curve.(LINK)
BENEFITS
- An increase in the safety suggestions - 389 in 2015
- 22% increase in incident reporting between 2013 & 2015
- Increased awareness of unsafe behaviour and its underlying drivers
- Safer ways of working and recognition of procedures
- Changes in employee’s behaviour and safety culture
- A safer work environment for all