Behavior Based Safety
10/24/2011
Recently, I was listening to a group of safety and health professionals that work at various locations within the DOE complex talk about some of their challenges. One person brought up a concern that grabbed everyone’s attention. Apparently, his group of S&H professionals were noticing an increased practice of drivers not stopping at stop signs. So as a way to bring this concern to management, they decided to conduct an observational study for the purpose of gathering statistics and compile the data in various ways that would support their concern and thereby present the evidence in the hope of initiating a strong enforcement policy. Depending on what the results demonstrated they would recommend certain controls and corrective actions. In addition the question was raised about the effectiveness of establishing certain consequences for violators.
The process began by placing observers at various intersections where the most flagrant violations were occurring. During the busiest times of the day observers would track the number of vehicles that approached a designated stop sign as well as how many did not come to a complete stop. The study lasted a few weeks. With the observations tallied, results indicated that well over 50% of all drivers were not stopping; including a significant number that were not even slowing down when they approached a stop sign!
This particular DOE site was known for its strong S&H program as demonstrated by it being awarded with the DOE Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) status. This coveted acknowledgment was made apparent to all who entered the facility as VPP banners were placed throughout the facility. Yet, with all the accolades that have been bestowed upon this site for its high achievement in worker safety and health and touting a strong safety awareness culture, it was apparent that its employees were not obeying one of the most basic traffic rules.
Stopping at a stop sign is mandatory; it is not left up to the discretion of each individual driver to decide if stopping is appropriate or not. It is a basic law of the road; whether one is driving inside a DOE facility or in a big city or small town. During the ensuing discussion, everyone agreed that it was extremely unlikely that people that drive at this facility are unaware of this basic law; after all, as was brought out by another S&H professional that was participating in the discussion, if every person at the site were to be given a test question that asked what is a driver to do when they approach a stop sign, without a doubt, everyone would be able to answer correctly, “STOP!” Nevertheless, at this particular DOE site that has been duly recognized for outstanding safety, there is reluctance for workers to follow a basic traffic rule and stop at a stop sign.
A question was then asked by another participating S&H professional. “Could it be that people do not care about observing S&H policies?” This person continued, “Or maybe it’s because people do not perceive a danger and therefore the notion of stopping when there is no apparent reason to stop makes the whole point moot?” After all, how many times has a driver not fully stopped at a stop sign and suffered no consequences? If they can observe the surrounding environment as they approach a stop sign and see no conflict or impending danger, what’s the point of stopping?
The reason for stop signs is that, as it has been proven time after time, stopping at a stop sign prevents accidents. When we show a disregard for a stop sign simply because we have done it in the past and have suffered no consequences, we are reinforcing a dangerous behavior that is based upon flawed reasoning. While a person may regularly intend to make a mindful effort to observe the traffic situation as he/she approaches an intersection and decides to stop or continue through a stop sign based on that observation, that person is forgetting one very important fact about himself/herself; that is, he/she is human, and therefore, is fallible. All that is needed to make an uneventful occurrence (while driving at an intersection) into a disaster is to get distracted, even for the briefest of time. For instance, you’re talking with a friend in the car or you’re listening to the radio a little too intently, or you’re thinking about something that happened at work or home. Or, unfortunately what is still happening at a high frequency are people talking on a cell phone or texting a message! Thus, while we may have conditioned ourselves to observe the surroundings as we approach an intersection, being human, we have now compromised that ability, leaving us susceptible to hurting ourselves, fellow passengers as well those in another vehicle or a cyclist or even a pedestrian. If we condition ourselves to automatically stop at stop signs (and red lights too!), such types of unfortunate incidents would be drastically reduced.
We need to understand that as human beings, we make mistakes. Interestingly, experts in the field of human behavior have determined that, on the average, we make four mistakes every hour. This may seem a little far-fetched, as we rarely notice our mistakes –especially when we do not notice the consequence. For example, how many times have we witnessed a motorist changing lanes and not seeing that they cut another car off? Even if the offended motorist blares their car horn – mostly the person at fault thinks that someone is honking their horn at someone else because that person had no idea of what they did.
If we do not recognize our humanness and insist that we can operate perfectly based on our senses, then we are reinforcing a behavior pattern that will, at some time, fail us. By following fundamental procedural steps (such as stopping at a stop sign or using a fall protection properly) we will be at an advantage to control the unforeseen hazards that are inherent in the various things we do- whether at work, play or while driving.
Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.
~ Bruce Lee,