Is Safety A Behavioural Question?

Introduction:

Behaviour modification for TSS can be part of an integrated effort in modifying the behaviour of workers so that quality, efficiency, creativity and safety are optimized. The answer lies in not only carrying out semantic and symbolic changes but a committed effort in behaviour modification through continually educating, training, involving and rewarding people for their contribution on an everyday basis meeting organisational objectives.

Recommendation for technological processes:

'If health and safety, in relation to new technology, is to follow the tremendous pace of technological innovation, systematic data collected consistently over time is a prerequisite to any evaluation of risks. Such statistics are all the more important as their analysis con lead to the diminution, if not eradication, of certain types of injuries by suggesting changes either in working practices or machine design. The dialogue between the legislator, the designer, the supplier and the customer must be an informed dialogue and hard data on the incidence, frequency and severity of injuries per type of production process and types of accidents must be given a prominent place within their decision making process.'

Some concepts of behaviour modification for TSS:

• Behaviour modification for TSS can be part of an integrated effort in modifying the behaviour of workers so that quality, efficiency, creativity and safety are optimized.
• In fact it is more appropriate to educate workers that Zero Defects can only result by looking after processes for capability (Zero Breakdown) and by making sure that there are no potential risks which will lead to physical damage or harmful injuries (Zero Risk).
• This is to some extent the ethos of TQM philosophy which seeks to implement quality in a ‘cultural context’ as a voluntary desire to achieve high standards of excellence rather than through the ‘carrot and stick’ principle. Behaviour modification is at the heart of making principles such as
• Zero Defect, Zero Breakdown and Zero Risk realizable. Behaviour modification will gradually lead to changes in corporate culture which many organisations find to be an important challenge for the implementation of TQM, but, which often they cannot easily define.