Do behavior based safety programs work?
Emily Wong
Updated on February 24, 2026
Do behavior based safety programs work?
Conclusion. Behavioral-based safety training plans are a great workplace safety solution. However, it only works with an airtight system in place. If you are looking for a better approach to workplace safety training and risk management, please reach out to MSC Safety Solutions by calling 303.477.
How is behavior based safety measured?
Calculated as the number of safe behaviours observed, divided by the total with the product multiplied by 100, this measure lets you know if safe behaviour is improving, unchanging or declining (assuming the observations are honest efforts).
Which is a benefit of behavior based safety?
When implemented correctly, a behavior based safety program can provide positive rewards to change unsafe behavior, reduce job-related injuries, minimize lost production hours, and improve workplace morale—essential ingredients for creating a strong safety culture.
What percentage of accidents can be traced back to unsafe behavior?
Dupont says that 96% of injuries and illnesses are caused by unsafe acts. Behavior Science Technology (BST) has stated that between 80% and 95% of all accidents are caused by unsafe behavior.
Why does behavior-based safety fail?
In a recent survey from EHS Daily Advisor, 91% of safety professionals said that the most important element of an effective workplace safety program is direct employee participation. With that stat in mind, it’s not surprising that behavior-based safety programs often fail due to a lack of worker participation.
What are the 6 fundamental components of behavior-based safety programs?
The Safety Improvement Process:
- Identify critical problem behaviors. These become action items to work on.
- Identify root causes. The “basic things” that need to be fixed to eliminate the problem.
- Generate potential actions.
- Evaluate possible actions.
- Develop an action plan.
- Implement an action plan.
- Conduct follow up.
What theory is Behavioural safety based on?
psychological theory of behaviorism
The behavior-based safety depends on the psychological theory of behaviorism. This theory attempted to explain all human behavior in terms of being driven by external consequences.
What is Behavioural safety checklist?
A behavior-based safety checklist is a direct-observation tool used to recognize safe behavior and eliminate the root cause of unsafe acts. Use this checklist to easily observe safe behavior such as the right selection of tools for the job, proper lifting techniques, and more.
What percentage of the Act is unsafe?
1) Accidents are caused by unsafe acts and conditions. Heinrich said unsafe acts account for 88 percent of accidents, while unsafe conditions account for 10 percent.
What percentage of workplace accidents are caused by human error?
Incident reports overall show that as many as 80 percent to 90 percent of serious injuries and accidents have been attributed to human error.
What is first implementation phase of behavior-based safety?
Implementation typically follows several steps. The first step is an assessment to evaluate the organization’s readiness for behavior-based safety and identify a Design Team to plan the behavior-based safety process.
What is BBS in OSHA?
Behavior Based Safety (BBS), is a process that informs management and employees of the overall safety of the workplace through safety observations. BBS is intended to focus workers’ attention on their own and their peers’ daily safety behavior.