What is behavioral safety? According to the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies, “Behavioral safety is the application of behavioral research on human performance to the problems of safety in the workplace. This means that any safety program labeling itself as a behavioral safety program must meet the standards of behavior analytic research as practices are applied to the workplace.”
To do this, the Cambridge Center suggests sound behavioral safety programs should include the following basic steps:
1. Behaviorally specify the desired performance. | For example, correct forklift operation or lifting behavior.
2. Measure safety performance.
3. Shape safe performance through feedback.
Our goal at Rolled Metal Products is to prevent injuries so that every employee goes home safely each day. Preventative action is taken to protect our employees from harm, whether it results in a machine modification, training, or revisiting 5S standards in their area. Examples of how we implement these rules include:
1. Observe coworkers in action to ensure they are wearing proper protective equipment.
2. Employees are using equipment properly.
3. Employees are keeping their body out of the “line of fire”.
4. All employees keep their eyes on task.
5. All employees keep their work areas clean, organized, and free from slip/trip hazards.
Training and systems prepare employees to identify unsafe behaviors. To strive for a safe workplace requires a partnership between the company and its employees. The programs we have in place are designed to influence employee’s actions and help all perform safely.