Implementing Behavior Based Safety (BBS) Program in a Middle Eastern Work Environment: Lessons Learned

Abstract

Abstract This paper describes one successful approach of Behavior Based Safety (BBS) implementation in Oil & Gas Company in Kuwait. The unique approach involved ‘throwing out’ many of the western cultural assumptions and approaching BBS implementation through the very basic building blocks. Much emphasis was placed on understanding the Middle Eastern Social Culture, understanding the organizational culture including the HSE culture and then designing the BBS program to suit the cultural norms. Safety Management Systems approach have been very successful in reducing fatalities and lost time accidents. However, there is normally a threshold or plateau of minor accidents remaining that appears to be stubbornly resistant to all efforts to remove them. For sustainable continual improvement of safety in the workplace - Going Beyond ZERO - the safety management system must be supplemented by the correct application of safety culture improvement programs. One such program is Behavior Based Safety. Safety cultural improvement programs influence the aspects depicted in the lower tiers of Bird’s Safety Triangle – At Risk Behaviors, Values & Beliefs Several companies in the Middle East Region have implemented in-house versions of Behavior Based Safety (BBS) programs such as STOP, ASA, SOC, and so on. However, these programs have been driven by Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and therefore suffered from number-crunching instead of focusing on quality execution and effectively influencing behaviors. Quite a few BBS consultants have attempted to implement their respective copyright BBS programs in this Region. There has been varying successes. This paper provides some lessons learned which are applicable to consultants wishing to implement BBS in a Middle East work culture. Their BBS program should be designed with a clear understanding of the theory behind the behavior change process and should consider the cultural diversity that constitutes the workforce. The successful approach to implementing BBS in a Middle Eastern Culture requires innovation, flexibility, persistence, passion and patience. These lessons learned should reduce any potential negative impact on the organizational cultural and assure the success of the BBS implementation program