HSE specialists frequently mention the Bradley Curve, developed in the late 20th century by a DuPont employee to visually demonstrate levels of safety culture maturity within a company. However, open sources often lack references to a methodology for applying the Bradley Curve in practice, which would transform it into an objective analytical tool.
I propose my own version of a questionnaire to help assess the level of safety culture development at an enterprise. The questionnaire consists of 10 questions. Each answer contains four statements, and the respondent must choose only one.
1. Which of the following statements most closely describes the attitude of employees and management toward accidents at your enterprise:
a) Injuries at work are normal
b) Zero injuries is impossible to achieve; injuries will happen anyway
c) Zero injuries can be achieved at our enterprise if everyone primarily takes care of their own safety independently
d) Zero injuries at our enterprise is the primary goal of the management team
2. Which of the following statements most closely describes the attitude of employees and management toward achieving zero injuries at your enterprise:
a) Injury rates do not depend on me; it is the job of the HSE department
b) Zero injuries can only be achieved by punishing violations of HSE rules
c) Information on how I can preserve my own health and life is important to me
d) We must all unite to spread the value of HSE throughout our enterprise
3. Which of the following statements most closely describes the reward and recognition system at your enterprise for developing a safety culture:
a) We are not punished for HSE violations
b) At our enterprise, if an employee violates HSE requirements, they are punished (a reprimand or warning is issued)
c) At our enterprise, management rewards employees who prevent workplace injuries through their actions
d) Management rewards the entire team of a department/service for implementing measures to prevent injuries at the enterprise
4. Which motto is closest to your enterprise:
a) Nothing can be done to ensure zero injuries!
b) The most important thing is to follow HSE rules!
c) My motto: "Take care of yourself! My safety is in my hands!"
d) We need each other, we care for each other, we help each other
5. In your opinion, who is responsible for workplace injuries?
a) The HSE department is responsible for workplace injuries
b) The enterprise management is responsible for workplace injuries
c) Each employee is responsible for not getting injured
d) Employees take responsibility for themselves and other group members
6. In your opinion, whose duty is it to implement measures to prevent workplace injuries?
a) Implementing injury prevention measures is the job of the HSE department
b) Implementing injury prevention measures is the job of top management
c) Implementing injury prevention measures is the job of every employee
d) All departments of the enterprise work together to prevent injuries!
7. Are HSE meetings held at your enterprise?
a) Meetings with employees to discuss violations and safety prevention are not held at our enterprise
b) At our enterprise, management holds meetings with the staff to discuss violations and safety prevention
c) In our department, managers (shop managers, foremen) hold monthly meetings to discuss HSE violations with employees
d) At our enterprise, HSE issues are discussed at the HSE committee, which includes all functional directors
8. What injury prevention methods are used at your enterprise?
a) Injury prevention measures are not carried out at our enterprise
b) Inspections by the HSE department with the issuance of tickets or notices for violations of HSE requirements
c) Every day, I do everything in my power that affects my safety and the safety of my colleagues
d) Every employee in our department knows how our joint work affects the safety of the enterprise's employees; it is easy for us to resolve HSE issues with top management
9. In what format is HSE training conducted at your enterprise?
a) HSE training is formal; I don't remember the last time I was trained
b) HSE training is conducted regularly, where we study basic safety rules
c) During training, we are told about best practices in HSE, and there is a detailed analysis of incidents at the enterprise and in the industry
d) In addition to mandatory HSE training programs, the enterprise conducts additional training on safety culture
10. In your view, what is the most popular opinion at your enterprise?
a) I am not obliged to follow safety rules — that is the job of the HSE department
b) I am not obliged to follow safety rules — that is the job of top management
c) Occupational safety is my responsibility
d) Occupational safety is everyone's job, a coordinated effort of all enterprise departments
Each lettered bullet point is scored on a point system: a - 1, b - 2, c - 3, d - 4. For a complete picture, it is better not only to sum the results in total but also by individual bullets. These data can then be compared using graphical visualization, where:
a - 1 (Reactive) level of safety culture development (less than 20 points),
b - 2 (Dependent) level of safety culture development (from 20 to 30 points),
c - 3 (Independent) level of safety culture development (from 30 to 40 points),
d - 4 (Interdependent) level of safety culture development (40 points).