Behaviour Programs Overlook Bosses

Safe Behaviour Programs too often assume unsafe behaviour is the only cause of accidents rather than the last link in a chain of events, according to a paper from the National Research Centre for OHS Legislation.

Safe Behaviour Programs are used to monitor the behaviour of workers to prevent accidents.

But the What are we to make of safe behaviour programs? paper finds there is a risk they do not address the behaviour of management.

Instead the programs tend to shift blame towards the workers.

"Given that it is the behaviour of management which is most critical in creating a culture of safety in any organization, behavioural safety observations are likely to have their greatest impact if directed upwards, at managers," the report says.

They also focus on the circumstances of individual accidents, rather than a "chain" which can be linked to management issues such as cost cutting,

You can access the paper at http://www.ohs.anu.edu.au/about/people/hopkins36.pdf

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