the crucial role of leadership in fatality prevention:

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The Crucial Role of Leadership in

Fatality Prevention:

How leadership shapes culture in support of safety

Thomas R. Krause, Ph.D.Chairman of the Board

BST



Central QuestionsCentral Questions• What motivates the senior leader’s interest in What motivates the senior leader’s interest in

fatality prevention?fatality prevention?

• What is the relationship between fatal injuries What is the relationship between fatal injuries and less serious injuries?and less serious injuries?

• If we improve safety generally will we reduce If we improve safety generally will we reduce fatal injuries?fatal injuries?

• How are leadership and culture related to How are leadership and culture related to fatality prevention?fatality prevention?

• What is the senior leader’s role in the What is the senior leader’s role in the prevention of fatalities?prevention of fatalities?



Working Interface

Worker

Facilities and Equipment

Procedures

Safety Enabling Elements

Hazardrecognition & Mitigation

Skills, Knowledge, & Training

Policies & Standards

Exposure reduction mechanisms

Organizational Sustaining Systems

Selection & Development

Structure

Performance management

Rewards & Recognition

OrganizationalCulture

LeadershipBlueprint forSafety Transformation



Safety Leadership Model

Personality and Values,Ethical and Emotional

Commitment



Measurable Attributes of Organizational Culture

Organizational Factor1. PJ Procedural Justice2. LMX Leader-Member

Exchange3. MC Management

Credibility4. POS Perceived

Organizational Support

Team Factor5. TW Teamwork6. WGR Work Group

Relations

Ethics and or Safety Specific Factor

7. C Safe and or Ethical Climate

8. UC Upward Communications

9. AO Approaching Others



Performance Variables Predicted by the OCDI Diagnostic

1. Job performance

2. Salary progression

3. Career satisfaction

4. Follower performance

5. Frequency of safety-related mishaps

6. Intention to quit

7. Commitment to theorganization

8. Organizational-citizenship behavior

9. Absenteeism

10. Job satisfaction

11. Ethical performance



LeadershipBest Practices

Vision

Credibility

Communication

Collaboration

Action Orientation

Feedback & Recognition

Accountability



Transformational

Leadership

Challenging

Engaging

Inspiring

Influencing



Big Five

Emotional resilience

Learning orientation

Conscientiousness

Collegiality

Extroversion



Leadership Style Predicts Best Practices

19

60

81

0

20

40

60

80

100

<33 33 to 66 >66

Pra

ctic

esP

erce

ntile

Sco

res

Percentile Scores

Leadership Style



Best Practices Predict Culture

2938

74

0

20

40

60

80

100

<33 33 to 66 >66

Practices

Cu

ltu

re

Percentile Scores

Per

cent

ile S

core

s



The Senior-Most Leaders' Best Practices Predict Culture

28

58

<=66 >66Practices

PracticesPercentile Scores

Cu

ltu

reP

erce

ntile

Sco

res



Culture Predicts Safety Outcomes

Percentile Scores

8.5

5.8

4.3

0

2

4

6

8

10

<33 33 to 66 >66

Culture

Inju

ry R

ate



Higher OCDI Scores Predict Lower Occupational Injury Rates for Clients with Occupational Injury Rates Less than 3.0

2.2

1.5

1.1

Bottom Third Middle Third Top Third

OCDI Aggregate Scores

Ave

rag

e O

ccu

pat

ion

al I

nju

ry R

ate



Fatalities are a primary issue

Visibility may be limited to numbers

Leading indicators are valued but rarely present

Cost is not usually the issue

The strongest motive is broad culture change

Resource availability is tied to perception of competence

The perspective of the senior executive leader



Safety means my well being. It is personal.

Interest level is high

Frustration with “programs” and inconsistencies

Results are visible evidence not numbers

The Perspective of the Front- Line Employee



Looking out for my folks

Large variation across employees

Confidence regarding skill level

Skill level is critically important: vision, credibility, collaboration, communication, action orientation, providing feedback, accountability

The Perspective of the First-Line Supervisor



Depends on size of location

Fatality exposure is an issue

Numbers are frustrating to small facility managers

Leading indicators are sorely needed

The Perspective of the Facility Manager



The Safety PyramidA valid generalization whichA valid generalization which

obscures important relationshipsobscures important relationships

Fatalities

Lost-Time Accidents

Recordable Injuries

*



Summary Points • Fatality prevention is our most important task• It is a noble calling that unites all constituencies• It brings our best tools and concepts together• It is the responsibility, the ethical obligation of

leadership at all levels



The Crucial Role of Leadership in

Fatality Prevention:

How leadership shapes culture in support of safety

Thomas R. Krause, Ph.D.Chairman of the Board

BST

the crucial role of leadership in fatality prevention:

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