From Awareness To
Improvement…
“Changing Aviation Safety
Culture”
Project Mission

Improve the “Safety Culture” of the College of
Aviation at Western Michigan University
Safety Culture = Safety related behaviors and
conditions that are valued by the College of
Aviation
What Is Aviation Behavior Based Safety (ABBS)?
Measurement
BBS Process
Feedback
Problem-Solving
ABBS Does NOT Replace:

Training—the knowledge to be safe
 Equipment—the tools to be safe
 Engineering Solutions—hazard recognition
and elimination
 Support—commitment & follow through
BBS In Industry

BBS systems have been successfully implemented
in thousands of organizations around the world
–
–
–
–
–

Manufacturing
Construction
Health Care
Office Settings
Utilities
Increasing the frequency of critical safe behaviors
and conditions resulted in decreased accident rates
across all settings

References available upon request
Contrast:
Traditional Safety Programs
&
Behavior Based Safety
Traditional Approaches

Traditionally, companies have focused on
“Accident Rate” safety measures such as:
– NTSB recordable accident rates
– ASRS incident reports
– NTSB accident reports

Focusing on Accident Rates has several
disadvantages
Accident Rate Disadvantages
1.
2.
3.
4.
Reactive—An injury must occur before the
system can react
Not specific—Do not indicate exactly what
needs to be done on-the-job to maintain or
improve safety
Low impact—Hard to change at-risk behaviors
that are at “habit strength”
Negative—focusing on accident rates highlights
worst aspect of work
BBS—Focuses On…

Identification of Systems Factors—factors
that influence an individual’s ability
perform safely
– Training
– Equipment
– Support

Problem solving—elimination or reduction
of influence from systems factors
BBS—Focuses On…

Identification of Safety Targets—behaviors
or conditions that are critical to performing
safely
 Increasing the frequency of those critical
safe behaviors and conditions
BBS Basics
Target Safety Related Behaviors
& Conditions
Frequent Observation
Feedback
Reinforcement/Problem Solving
Increase
Frequency of
Behaviors
& Conditions
Directly
Related to
Safety
The BBS Process

Is Proactive—by providing measures of safety
targets on-the-job that can be used to avoid
injuries
 Is Specific—safety target data indicates exactly
what can be done to maintain and improve safety
 Can Change Attitudes & Culture—higher impact
on at-risk behaviors that are at “habit strength”
 Is Positive—safety achievements and
improvements are the focus
The Process
Assessment
ABBS
Development
Training
Implementation
Evaluation &
Cont. Imp.
End
Assessment
Accident
Analysis
Process
Mapping
Interviews
Baseline
Observation
Baseline
Videotaping
Safety
Assessment
ABBS Development
Project
Strategy
Develop
Process
Project
Steering
Team
Target
Behaviors
Design
Measurement
Rollout
Plan
Development
Process
ABBS Development

Project Strategy
– Identify Key groups
 Safety Committee
 Instructors
 Students
– Get “buy-in”
ABBS Development
Target Behaviors

Instructors

Students
– Pre-Flight
– Pre-flight inspection
– Pre-Flight Briefing
– Classroom learning
– In-Flight
– Team Riding
– Post-Flight
– Post Flight Briefing
– Classroom instruction
ABBS Development

Develop process for measuring safety targets—
data collection
– Instructor-student observations
– Instructor-instructor observations
– Student-student observations

Develop process for feedback
– On-the-spot feedback
– Summary feedback
– Goals setting

Develop roll-out strategy
– How will the process be put in action?
Implementation
Observers
Identified
Observer
Training
Begin Obs.
& Fdbk.
Problem
Solving
Process
Implementation
Evaluation & Continuous
Improvement
Evaluate
Process
Eval. Targets
& Goals
Fade I/O
Psych.
Involvement
Reinvention
of Process
Evaluation and
Continuous
Improvement
Behavior Based Safety
“Building From The Ground
up”
Contact Person:
Bill Rantz, MA
william.rantz@wmich.edu
Psychology Department Collaborators:
Ryan Olson, MA
John Austin, Ph.D.
john.austin@wmich.edu
Alyce Dickinson, Ph.D.
alyce.dickinson@wmich.edu