This document provides an overview of a training program called SafetyCompass that teaches employees how to effectively intervene when they observe unsafe behaviors in the workplace. It discusses how workplaces are complex systems and interventions need to be ubiquitous, reactive and adaptive. It also summarizes research finding employees only intervene in unsafe acts 39% of the time due to concerns about defensiveness or lack of impact. The SafetyCompass training teaches a 4 step approach of stopping the unsafe behavior, asking open-ended questions to understand the reasons behind it, finding a fix for those reasons, and ensuring the fix is implemented and sustained. Case studies show companies that have implemented the training have significantly reduced incident and severity rates.

1. ®
A Practical Guide to
Sustainably Changing
Unsafe Operations
© 2010 The RAD Group, L.L.C.
© 2012 The RAD Group, L.L.C.

2. ®
Agenda
• Safety, Complex Systems & Intervention
•Cross-Industry Study of Intervention
• SafetyCompass Training
© 2011, The RAD Group LLC

3. SAFETY, COMPLEXITY & INTERVENTION
Hazards are part of our work
environments.
Measures are taken to keep hazards
from resulting in incidents.

4. SAFETY, COMPLEXITY & INTERVENTION
Mechanical Safeguards:
‣ Barriers against incident/injury
Procedural Safeguards:
‣ Guidelines for reducing exposure

5. SAFETY, COMPLEXITY & INTERVENTION
Our workplaces are…
‣ Dynamic
‣ Complex
Mechanical & procedural safeguards are…
‣ Static
‣ Slow to Adapt/Change

6. SAFETY, COMPLEXITY & INTERVENTION
We need an additional solution that is…
‣ Ubiquitous (present throughout the system)
‣ Reactive
‣ Adaptive

7. SAFETY, COMPLEXITY & INTERVENTION
Direct human intervention can be…
‣ Ubiquitous (present throughout the system)
‣ Reactive
‣ Adaptive

8. SAFETY, COMPLEXITY & INTERVENTION
The Problem: Intervene
Do Not Intervene
Employees intervene
about 39% of the
39%
time they see others 61%
doing something
unsafe.

9. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
Why do we not speak up?

10. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
When asked why they don’t intervene, 25% said. . .
“Because it would not make a
difference.”

11. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
When asked why they don’t intervene, 19% said. . .
“Because the other person would
become defensive or angry.”

12. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
Three Failed Approaches
Charm
Be so nice that the person is suckered into being safe.
Push
Force the person to be safe despite himself.
‣Attack, Criticize, Yell, Manipulate
Retreat
You can’t change the person, so why risk an argument?

13. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
Charm

14. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP

15. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
Employees
immediately change
their behavior about
79% of the time
someone intervenes
in their unsafe act.

16. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
Employees
sustainably change
their behavior
about 48% of the
time someone
intervenes in their
unsafe act.

17. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
In other words,
“Intervening often does not make a
difference.”

18. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
Push

19. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP

20. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
Employees become Become Defensive
defensive 1 out of Do Not Become Defensive
every 4 times that
someone stops
their unsafe act 27%
and talks with 73%
them about it.

21. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
Employees become Become Angry
angry 1 out of Do Not Become Angry
every 6 times that
someone stops
their unsafe act and 16%
talks with them 84%
about it.

22. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
In other words,
“The other person often becomes
defensive or angry.”

23. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
Retreat

24. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP

25. INTERVENTION: WHY WE DON’T SPEAK UP
We don’t speak up because we
struggle to do so effectively.

26. TM
1 2 3 4
Stop Ask Find a Fix Ensure the Fix
© 2012, The RAD Group LLC

27. TRAINING OUTLINE
Each module provides:
‣ Conceptual Framework
‣ Skills-based Process
‣ Skills Application (“Practice”)

28. TRAINING OUTLINE
Each module provides:
‣ Conceptual Framework
‣ Skills-based Process
‣ Skills Application (“Practice”)

29. STOP 1
When I See Something I Say Something

30. STOP
The Purpose
Engage the person at the right time, about the
right issue, in the right way to remove the safety
risk.

31. STOP
The Pitfalls
Take a wrong step and you might fail to stop the
unsafe behavior . . . or worse, fail and end up in
an argument.
‣ DEFENSIVENESS
‣ BLAME
‣ WRONG PROBLEM
‣ BAD TIMING

32. STOP
The Pitfalls
Take a wrong step and you might fail to stop the
unsafe behavior . . . or worse, fail and end up in
an argument.
‣ DEFENSIVENESS
‣ BLAME
‣ WRONG PROBLEM
‣ BAD TIMING

33. STOP
Defense 101:
We are predisposed to protect our . . .
‣ Bodies (physical attack)
‣ Property (theft)
‣ Dignity (personal criticism)
‣ Reputation (public ridicule)

34. STOP
Defense 101:
We are predisposed to protect our . . .
‣ Bodies (physical attack)
‣ Property (theft)
‣ Dignity (personal criticism)
‣ Reputation (public ridicule)

35. STOP

36. STOP

37. STOP
Blame 101:
“The Fundamental Attribution Error”
When others do something wrong or bad, we jump
to a conclusion.
“They are lazy, careless, reckless, stupid. . . have
no respect for others.”

38. STOP
Blame 101:
When asked why the people they work with do
things that are unsafe, more than 80% said,
“Because they don’t want to make the extra effort
to do the job the safe way.”

39. STOP
Blame 101:
When asked about themselves, only about 4%
said,
“Because I don’t want to make the extra effort to
do the job the safe way.”

40. STOP
Four Skills
Learn four skills to stop unsafe actions and avoid
pitfalls.
‣ Remove the Risk
‣ State the Problem
‣ Stick to the Facts
‣ Use a Do/Don’t Statement

41. ASK 2
Learn the Real Reason

42. ASK
After you Stop the person to remove the risk, it
is vital that you find out why the person was
being unsafe.

43. ASK
The Purpose
Uncover the REAL reason(s) behind unsafe
behavior so that it can be changed for good.

44. ASK
The Process
Ask the person the right way to learn the real
reason(s) behind the unsafe behavior.
Before learning the skills, let’s address the basics:
‣ When
‣ What to Look for
‣ How to Ask

45. ASK
The Process
Ask the person the right way to learn the real
reason(s) behind the unsafe behavior.
Before learning the skills, let’s address the basics:
‣ When
‣ What to Look for
‣ How to Ask

46. ASK
What to Look for: When people do stupid things

47. ASK
What to Look for: When people do stupid things

48. ASK
It Makes Sense (from the inside)
What looks crazy, evil or stupid from the outside
makes a lot of sense from inside the person’s
context.

49. ASK
“Local Rationality”
The factors that are most obvious, pressing and
significant from one person’s point of view aren’t
necessarily obvious, pressing or significant from
another person’s point of view.
But this set of factors determines what makes
sense and what doesn’t.

50. ASK
Context Is Everything
Your context determines what
actions make sense and what Context
actions don’t.
The second part of the
intervention - Ask - is about
learning why it makes sense to
the person to do something
unsafe.

51. ASK
If you don’t understand the person’s context, you
won’t understand why the person did something
unsafe.

52. ASK
If you don’t understand the person’s context, you
won’t understand why the person did something
unsafe.
If you don’t understand why, you will not be able
to Find a Fix for the REAL reason(s) the person
was being unsafe.

53. ASK
If you don’t understand the person’s context, you
won’t understand why the person did something
unsafe.
If you don’t understand why, you will not be able
to Find a Fix for the REAL reason(s) the person
was being unsafe.
If you can’t Find a Fix that works, you will not
create lasting safety.

54. ASK
Self: Personal Factors
Self
Motivation: Does or Doesn’t Care
Ability: Can or Can’t
Knowledge: Does or Doesn’t Know How;
Is or Isn’t Aware
Habits: On “Auto Pilot”
Attention: “Blind” to the Hazard

55. ASK

56. ASK

57. ASK

58. ASK
Others: Social Factors
Others
Others do and say things that Self
produce unsafe behavior.
Help: Make It Easy or Hard
Pressure: Peer-Pressure & Authority
Modeling: Behaviors Seem Normal

59. ASK

60. ASK

61. ASK
Surroundings: Environmental Factors
Places & things can lead to unsafe Surroundings
behavior. Others
Self
Equipment: Tools & Other Things
Climate: Temperature, Light, Wind, Etc.
Layout: Where Things Are Located

62. ASK

63. ASK
Systems: Organizational Factors
Organizations can put systems into Systems
place that lead to unsafe behavior. Surroundings
Others
Rules: Company, Customer & Industry Self
Requirements
Rewards/Punishments: “Carrots &
Sticks”
Procedures: How & When It Is Supposed
to Be Done

64. ASK
It Makes Sense (from the inside)
When you see someone do
something unsafe, it’s your cue
to get curious:
“What am I not aware of that’s
driving their unsafe behavior?”

65. ASK
Four Skills
Learn four skills to uncover the real reason(s)
behind others’ unsafe behavior.
‣ Don’t Guess
‣ Ask Opening Questions
‣ Ask Drill Down Questions
‣ Listen Completely

66. ASK
Four Skills
Learn four skills to uncover the real reason(s)
behind others’ unsafe behavior.
‣ Don’t Guess
‣ Ask Opening Questions
‣ Ask Drill Down Questions
‣ Listen Completely

67. ASK
What do you hate to do?
“Lack of motivation” is rarely
the fundamental problem
driving someone’s unsafe
behavior.
There is usually some other
factor that diminishes
motivation.

68. FIND A FIX 3
F i n d a F i x fo r the Real Reason

69. FIND A FIX
The Purpose
Find a way to sustainably change the unsafe
behavior by fixing the real reasons behind it.

70. FIND A FIX
Three Skills
Learn three skills to Find a Fix for the real
reason(s) behind unsafe behavior.
Motivate
‣ Bring Consequences to Life
‣ Connect to Self-Respect
Facilitate
‣ Invite Ideas

71. FIND A FIX
What If You Can’t Fix It?
That doesn’t mean you let it go unresolved!
Your responsibility is to make sure the people who
can fix it know that they need to fix it.

72. FIND A FIX
Systems
Surroundings
Others
Self Stop
Ask
Find a Fix

73. FIND A FIX
Systems
Surroundings
Others
Self Stop
Ask
Find a Fix
Leadership

74. FIND A FIX
Systems
Surroundings
Others
Self Stop
Ask
Find a Fix
Leadership
FIX

75. E NSURE THE F IX 4
Keep an Eye on Improvement

76. ENSURE THE FIX
The Purpose
Make sure the unsafe behavior or condition is
fixed and stays fixed.

77. CASE STUDY: Land Drilling
Incident Rate
65% reduction in TRIR*
* Avg of 12 months prior as compared to avg of 7 months following
initiation of program.

78. CASE STUDY: Land Drilling
Severity Rate
89% reduction in Severity Rate*
* Avg of 12 months prior as compared to avg of 7 months following
initiation of program.

79. ®
More Information
“A Study of Safety Intervention: The Causes and Consequences of
Employees’ Silence,” EHS Today, June 2011. (article link)
“Study: Employees intervene in only 2 of 5 observed unsafe acts,” Drilling
Contractor Magazine, Jan/Feb 2011. (article link)
http://www.theradgroup.com/safetycompass
© 2010 The RAD Group, L.L.C.
© 2012 The RAD Group, L.L.C.