Any conversation in a workplace can be safety-based, and keeping communication clear and concise is an essential part of any company’s efforts to strive for zero incidents.
Richard Bass, HSES manager with Kuraray, said managers and employees should be adaptable to communicating with different audiences and keeping an open mind.
"One of the most important aspects [of a safety plan] is non-verbal communication. We’ve all had that person we’ve talked to and they don’t give you anything back," Bass said. "They don’t give you that non-verbal communication to indicate they know what you are talking about.
"If you’re talking to an engineer, maybe it’s a little bit of a different conversation than with a contractor or one of your operators. It centers on mutual understanding. I can’t emphasize that enough. And the communication funnel must include feedback, as two people can look at the same conversation and have very different views.
Bass joined other safety experts during an industry roundtable produced by BIC Magazine and moderated by VPPPA’s Chris Williams to discuss their efforts to achieve zero safety incidents in their facilities.
Presenters focused on the practical implementation of programs that nurture desired behaviors, processes, practices and procedures among management and workers.
Tara Gardner, an ESSH director for Ascend Performance Materials, said that the company’s implementation of a new safety training model has made a huge difference in reducing recordable incidents.
Ascend launched a "Commitment to Zero" initiative and, in 2019, introduced the industry-recognized Hazard Recognition Plus™ (HRP) program, a tool that focuses on thought processes to approach a safe job or task.
The five thought processes emphasize identifying what the job is; what energy is involved; where is that energy going; how it will be managed and specific stop-the-job triggers.
It also centers on three risk reduction methods: Eliminate, control and protect.
"With our adoption of HRP and it being foundational in achieving safety across our sites, we have reached a record low with over a 50% reduction in recordable injuries, and we’re on track for the same in 2024," Gardner said. "HRP is not a tool, it’s a change in mindset that is embedded in our culture and has resulted in a transformational shift in our safety culture."
The company has utilized awareness messages, posters and engaging activities with employees to communicate the importance of the HRP model and a safety culture in general.
Ascend now has more than 300 HRP employee coaches who have completed a two-day training course, and the concept is part of all new employee onboarding. All contractors are also required to undergo training in the HRP program.
Once a company or facility achieves success toward obtaining or sustaining zero incidents, staying focused on emphasizing a "speak up culture" is key to continuing progress, said Ben Mitchell, North America director of HSSE, with Kaneka.
"It’s a culture where all near misses, near hits, are reviewed by the leaders in the plant, on the floor level, and then you immediately communicate whatever findings there are," Mitchell said.
Tracking the findings is another important step that might not be emphasized enough, he said, but going beyond that to contextualize the results is critical.
"Are you doing audits, and are they effective?" Mitchell asked. "Taking a checklist, checking every box and completing it does not mean that you are safe. It just means that you are a compliance scholar — you’re making sure your paperwork looks good."
Daniel Toperosky, HSE manager at the Phillips 66 Lake Charles refinery, said not dismissing training as tedious and instead recognizing it as an opportunity is an important message for facility leadership to convey to employees.
"You need a consistent basis of training for all employees and contractors," Toperosky said. "Don’t make it just another training. Challenge yourself and your team to do some of the things you are getting out of it.
"It’s so important that we are engaged in knowing what management of change looks like."
