HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMISSION
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
(CONIAC)
Behavioural Change Worker Engagement Forum (BCWE)
Presented by Martin Worthington - Chairman BCWE Forum
- SHE Director, Morgan Ashurst
Introduction
● Key objectives of the presentation are:
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Give an overview of the work being carried out by the
Behavioural Change Worker Engagement forum
(BCWE).
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Explain the purpose and objectives of the forum.
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Note the achievements to date.
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The benefits of BCWE programmes
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Explain how we are moving forward.
Overview
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What is the BCWE forum about?
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The forum evolved from the formation and involvement with
various other groups such as:
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Worker Engagement Research Project at Caledonian University
UK SHE Support Group
Flagship projects such as T5
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Following a number of discussions between Gordon Crick
(HSE) and Martin Worthington, the forum was set up to act as a
conduit to gather knowledge and best practices.
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The interim BCWE forum was held in autumn 2006, where the
forums purpose and objectives were set and mission statement
developed.
Our Mission
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BCWE Mission Statement
The Behavioural Change and Worker Engagement
Mission Statement
“To work together under a common purpose by
developing a cohesive and pragmatic approach to
behavioural change and worker engagement that will
evolve through best practice and learning across
industry with a view to changing the way we lead, plan,
procure and manage work activities. With the collective
goal of reducing the incidents that result in harm and
personal suffering”
Involvement
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The Forum
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As the forum moved forward with it’s initial objectives it became a group
more organic in nature.
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There have been a number of organisations involved since the formation
and have provided a significant input during last 18 months, including:
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Morgan Ashurst
Laing O’Rourke
British Nuclear Group
Bovis Lendlease
Kier
CITB – Construction Skills
Shell
Carillion
Mace
Kellogg’s
HBG
HSL
Valuable input and support has also been provided by Gordon Crick,
Louise Brearley and others from the HSE.
More recently there has been interest shown from clients such as BAA
and from an SME – William Hare Ltd.
Achievements
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What have we achieved so far?
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Carried out a comprehensive intelligence gathering
exercise on each others approach to behavioural
change and worker engagement.
Provided a good understanding of each others
approaches, the synergies and common strands.
Established a platform for networking, that operates on
a formal and informal basis.
Generated an enthusiasm and openness to share
information.
Created a high level of awareness and interest across
the industry including our supply chains.
The benefits of BCWE programmes within
the construction industry
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Increasing use of maturity matrices and structured sets of
leadership questions being used to develop business
improvement plans that include behavioural change and
worker engagement considerations.
A range of data that shows significant improvements in:
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The increase of reporting learning events (near misses)
Positive interventions
Reduction in accident/incident rates
Variability in performance
Reduction in severity of incidents and days lost.
Effective worker engagement programmes that involve
active discussions on safety matters, using anecdotal
information to communicate learning.
Use of measurement tools including, safe observation
‘cards’, leadership tours, project based balanced score
cards and root cause analysis with the focus on potential
of incidents as opposed to outcome.
HSL Involvement
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What has been completed so far?
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3 workshops held in February, May and September this year,
each organisation gave a presentation on their approach to:
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Respective Behavioural Change Programmes
Compare and contrast the approach with HSL diagram for the
‘Essential Components of Behavioural Change’.
How the impact of Behavioural Change Programmes are
measured.
Forum now being used as the platform and research pool for
the HSL to provide an evidence based approach to
behavioural change programmes and develop a ‘framework’
for industry.
Forum members will have various levels of input during the
research, with HSL due to commence with a series of
interviews with each organisation during the autumn.
Action
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Moving forward
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Our progress to date has been building the forum, gathering
intelligence and gaining a common understanding of each others
approaches.
We are now in the process of deciding how we move forward with a
clear direction and align to the work being progressed by HSL.
Timeline being developed to identify milestones for the next 18 months.
Identify what, if any, financial support may be required and how this
could work.
Consider how we are going to communicate and cascade our purpose
and objectives to the wider industry, including house building sector.
To progress the idea of delivering a series of regional roadshows to
promote the work being done by the BCWE forum, with the objectives
of:
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Ensuring the message gets to the 4 corners of the UK that may not have
regular contact with major construction companies.
Taking the message into the contractors ‘back yard’ and consider the
feedback by face to face discussions.
Deliver the message in a simple and effective way and provide a network
into local groups.
Achieve one of the BCWE key objectives - ENGAGEMENT
Opportunity
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There is a real feeling from the discussions held at the BCWE
workshops that, a behavioural approach, if done correctly, can
support the processes and achieve a real improvement to the safety
performance of an organisation and the people working for it.
Comments have included:
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It’s an approach where we can capture the hearts and minds of
everyone and work to a common goal of not causing harm.
BCWE can provide some real leadership and direction in
developing an industry ‘framework’ that will benefit all, especially
those who feel they have not got the resources to adopt a
behavioural approach.
The real plus of a behavioural approach is that it is not based on
rules and paperwork but on respect and expectations.
Behavioural safety is not a dark science that is only known and
owned by a few, it is based on the principles of effective
communication and feeling comfortable in challenging the way we
do things.
Opportunity
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In summary
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A behavioural approach does need full commitment and
proper planning to work effectively
The approach is not a replacement for robust business
processes
Benefits are of a more open culture, sharing knowledge and
best practice, ultimately providing a safe environment for all,
both at work and at home.
The BCWE forum is committed to supporting, in any way it
can, the continuous improvement of safety within the
industry.