Safety Culture: Transitioning from Reactive to Interdependent

Evolution of Safety Culture: From Theory to Practice

The development of a safety culture is not just a passing trend, but a natural stage in the evolution of any manufacturing company. When basic legislative requirements are met and the injury rate stops decreasing, there is a need to transition to a new level of management. In this webinar, Anna Voronkova, Health, Safety and Environment Manager at Heineken, shares practical experience in transforming safety culture and transitioning from a reactive approach to an interdependent one.

The speaker breaks down how to measure what seems intangible and offers specific tools for assessing the current state of the organization. The presentation details the Bradley Curve model and the High-Performance Organization (HPO) methodology, which allows structuring the change process.

Six Elements of Safety Culture Assessment

To understand what level the company is at and what needs to be done to move to the next stage, the speaker suggests analyzing processes across six key blocks:

• Process structure: clear distribution of roles and responsibilities. It is important to understand who is responsible for specific areas (for example, working at heights or the LOTO procedure) and to introduce new functions only when a foundation has been created for them.
• Reward and punishment system: a balance between motivation and discipline. At the highest level of culture development, following safety rules becomes an internal need of the employee, rather than the result of external stimulation.
• Performance management: defining KPIs and standards. The speaker shows by example how the requirements for the speed of response to deviations change depending on the level of culture (from 10 days at the reactive level to 24 hours at the interdependent level).
• Data collection system: digitalization of processes. The use of IT tools allows for objective assessment of indicators, tracking the deadlines for eliminating violations, and managing training.
• People and their competencies: transition from mandatory to functional training. The implementation of new procedures requires the preparation of experts and the use of modern training formats (for example, VR technologies or microlearning).
• Processes and tasks: accessibility of information. Using visual standards (One-Point Lessons) and open communication with employees helps ensure that requirements are clear and achievable.

Step-by-Step Transition: How Not to Overstrain on the Way to the Ideal

The key idea of the presentation is the need for a gradual implementation of changes. It is impossible to jump from the reactive level directly to the interdependent one. If a company is just starting to build a system, behavioral safety audits will not work. First, it is necessary to ensure basic compliance with standards, establish the provision of PPE, and conduct regular inspections.

Anna emphasizes the importance of setting realistic goals. At the initial stage, strict administration may be required (for example, setting standards for identifying hazardous conditions for each employee). As the culture develops, these artificial incentives fall away, as safe behavior becomes the norm.

What You Will Learn from This Webinar:

• How to determine the current level of safety culture in your company?
• What metrics to use to evaluate the effectiveness of HSE processes?
• How to properly distribute responsibility for safety among department heads?
• Why behavioral audits do not work at the initial stages of system development?
• How to involve line personnel in the process of identifying and eliminating risks?