Re: Safety Culture

[Douglas.Minnema@dp.doe.gov]

    This discussion of safety culture is very interesting, and hits close to 

    home.  However, I would like to play "devil's advocate" and suggest an 
    alternative thought.  
    
    When one looks at many events that have occurred, including some very 
recent 
    prime examples, it appears to me that the basic cause was not 
indifference 
    to, or non-recognition of the hazard, nor was there inadequate training. 
 
    What was present was a complacency that seems to stem from a level of 
    comfort with the hazard arising from extensive knowledge, training, and 
    experience.  Perhaps the old phrase "familiarity breeds contempt" should 
be 
    reworded, "familiarity breeds complacency".
    
    Why does a worker violate a procedure rather than stop work when he/she 
    perceives a problem?  Often the answer is that the worker thought that 
    he/she knew the work better than the procedure writer, and either had no 

    confidence in the procedure or believed that his/her way was better.
    
    Why do we all often have discussions about how unnecessary, unwieldy, 
    ultraconservative, ... etc, our system of regulations is.  Is it because 
we 
    all think we know the risk better than the developers of the regulations?
  
    While the discussion of the basis of our regulations is very important, 
it 
    must be done in a structured, professional manner that does not feed 
    people's complacency with the current regulations.
    
    Consider the signs on the side of the road:  "Buckle up ... it's the law!
"  
    Have we trained ourselves so extensively on the requirements that we can 

    quote them line by line, but have forgotten WHY those requirements are 
in 
    place?  I buckle up because I have seen what can happen when one does 
not, 
    rather than because its the law - I understand WHY its a law, and am 
    therefore willing to comply.
    
    As you can tell, this subject fascinates me right now, because these are 

    questions that I am asking myself every day.  I encourage all of us to 
go 
    back and look at the WHY we do things, as well as the HOW we do things.
    
    Enough of my Friday night meanderings, its time to go home.  I look 
forward 
    to your comments.
    
    Doug Minnema, CHP
    Defense Programs
    Dept. of Energy
    <Douglas.Minnema@dp.doe.gov>
    
    what few thoughts I have are truly my own.