OBSERVATION FEEDBACK BEHAVIOURBASED SAFETY Why introduce a behavioural

OBSERVATION & FEEDBACK BEHAVIOUR-BASED SAFETY

Why introduce a behavioural observation and feedback program? “Behaviour is involved in nearly every injury that occurs in the workplace. ” (Geller, 1997)

OBSERVATION & FEEDBACK • Reducing injuries requires behaviour change • How do you change behaviour? • Through observation and feedback! • Practice makes permanence (NOT perfect) • We need feedback to improve

TYPICAL SAFETY PROGRAMS - THE FACTS • Do not address ongoing behaviour because… – Safety is devoted to meetings – Safety procedures are in files – Etc, etc • But, on a daily basis, management and safety leaders pay little attention to what people are REALLY doing in the workplace

TYPICAL SAFETY PROGRAMS - THE FACTS (cont’d) • When do most managers and safety professionals pay attention to behaviour? • When it comes to investigating an injury or near-miss! …. BUT … This is reactive! • We need to become PROACTIVE, addressing behaviour before people get hurt

BEHAVIOUR-BASED SAFETY PROGRAMS • It’s about doing something before people get injured • Gives people a chance to make a positive contribution toward safety • Gives people feedback on the improvements they’re making to THEIR workplace

LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this session you will be able to. . . • Define critical safe and at-risk behaviours • Develop a behavioural checklist for observing behaviour • Observe and record safety-related behaviours of people you work with • Graph the results of the observation process for feedback • List the qualities of effective coaching

LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this session you will be able to. . . • Deliver behaviour-based feedback to someone in an actively caring way • Set effective goals for observation and feedback • Differentiate between formal and informal safety coaching • Objectively test whether behaviour-based intervention is effective

CONTENT OF TRAINING This module will cover. . . • The DO IT process, including – Feedback and intervention • Defining Safe and At-Risk Behaviours exercise • Increasing Your Feedback Skills

DO IT • Define - behaviours to target • Observe - to collect baseline data • Intervene - to influence target behaviours • Test - to measure impact of intervention

DO IT • Define the observable behaviours you want – Safe behaviours you want increased, AND at-risk behaviours you want decreased • Observe the behaviour – From a caring perspective – With permission – In a way that both the observer and observee are open to learn

DO IT • Intervene: change and improve the behaviour – Remember a behaviour is “how it’s done it is observable” – Intervene with consideration of feelings of those affected • Test: to see if there is, in fact, an improvement; if not, go back to …

DEFINING BEHAVIOURS • Use the SOON acronym: – Specific - concise behavioural definition that is unambiguous – Observable - Overt behaviours that are countable and recordable – Objective - No interpretations; “what” not “why”. What two people would see as the same thing – Naturalistic - Normal interaction, and a real-world activity

EXERCISE • Defining Safe and At-Risk Behaviours “Safety training in the best sense of the word. ” (Geller, 1997)

OBSERVATION • Vital Rules: – Do not record names of people being observed – Get permission to observe the person/s – Intervene immediately if you see someone performing an at-risk behaviour • This is more important than filling out the checklist. It is a safety observation after all!

DIFFERENT TYPES OF OBSERVATION • Critical task – Designed around a particular task • Specific behaviour – Safe Behaviour Opportunity • Generic checklist – Provides generic behavioural prompts

EXERCISE • Conducting an Observation

INTERVENTION • One-on-one observation calls for on-thespot behavioural feedback • There is also often an opportunity to give group feedback e. g. team meetings • Both methods are examples of interventions • As part of the intervention, improvement measures are developed

INTERVENTION • Object of discussion is NOT to find fault in people, but focus on behaviour instead • When people aren’t going to be blamed, they’ll be frank and honest • Sometimes, a factor that motivates an at-risk behaviour can be removed or altered

DO IT • Define - behaviours to target • Observe - to collect baseline data • Intervene - to influence target behaviours • Test - to measure impact of intervention

DEVELOPING COACHING STRATEGIES • Need to develop a protocol – When and how long will it take – How long does the observation take – How often will they be done – Who gets involved – Some people will not want to coach – To develop the “observation etiquette” – That’s flexible enough to fit our culture

COACHING WHAT IT MEANS • • • Care - enough to… Observe - to reduce your chance of injury Analyse - using the ABC model to understand Communicate - giving feedback Help - Summarises what the whole goal of behaviour based safety is! To help people improve

FEEDBACK • Practise does not make perfect - it makes permanence - we need feedback to improve • Natural feedback rarely occurs in safety • So, feedback needs to come from people • This prevents us from staying “unconsciously incompetent” or “consciously incompetent”

FEEDBACK - ITS FORM • Needs to be: – Specific - focus on specific behaviour – On time - precede behaviour to direct; follow behaviour to motivate – Appropriate - Fit information to person and situation – Real - Be genuine and caring

FEEDBACK - SOME GOLDEN RULES • When you’re giving positive feedback don’t use “but” - it sends mixed messages • Make it “short and sweet” - better to give short, but frequent feedback • Don’t be afraid to use signals to show approval, particularly when timing is inconvenient • Use behavioural demonstration if required • For experienced people: reminder to be safe and set the right example

FEEDBACK - SOME GOLDEN RULES • Don’t forget that you’re dealing with human dignity - be sensitive enough not to insult; if you do, apologise • Effective feedback is not easy and needs to take into account “person-based” factors as well as task specific knowledge • This is why peer observation is so important you’re more likely to know the person better • Peer observation is also seen as more genuine and caring

FEEDBACK • It’s just as important to ask for feedback as to receive it • Remember SOAR: – Specific - focus on specific behaviour – On time - precede behaviour to direct; follow behaviour to motivate – Appropriate - Fit information to person and situation – Real - Be genuine and caring

FEEDBACK GUIDELINES • Rewarding Safe Behaviour – Give personal praise – Listen to reaction – Reaffirm approval and offer encouragement • Correcting At-Risk Behaviour – Specify the desired behaviour – Listen to reaction – Solicit potential solution – Request commitment for change – Express concern and caring

EXERCISE • Increasing Your Feedback Skills “A difficult skill to master, but when mastered gives natural positive consequences. ” (anon, 2000)

IN CONCLUSION • Observation and feedback in sport: it’s called coaching • In sport, the athlete often gets instant feedback from a behavioural change made by the coach I. e. ball goes further • We need to know and believe that improving behaviour leads to reduced injuries

IN CONCLUSION • COACH: – Care - enough to… – Observe - to reduce your chance of injury – Analyse - using the ABC model to understand – Communicate - giving feedback – Help - Summarises what the whole goal of behaviour based safety is! To help people improve

SO, WHERE TO NOW • Phased introduction of target behaviours by Working Party • Ongoing training (modules 3 & 4) • Development of support systems • Introduction of observations