Behavior Based Safety (BBS)

Course Introduction

The Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) process has made a tremendous impact on how safety is valued and perceived within the work environment.

BBS is the "application of science of behavior change to real world problems". BBS "focuses on what people do, analyzes why they do it, and then applies a research-supported intervention strategy to improve what people do". At its very core BBS is based on a larger scientific field called Organizational Behavior Analysis.

Essentially BBS focuses on the immediate safe (or unsafe) behavior and the provision of positive reinforcement to encourage safe work behavior (and reduce at-risk behaviors).

A good BBS management system will consist of:

• Common goals – Both employee and managerial involvement in the process
• Definition of what is expected – Specifications of target behaviors derived from safety assessments
• Observational data collection
• Decisions about how best to proceed based on those data
• Feedback to employees being observed
• Continuous review and improvement

What are the benefits of BBS

•  Improved hazard recognition
•  Improved employee dialog about safety
•  Increased employee involvement in the safety management system
•  Management no longer the "safety cop”
•  Declined incident rates