Despite decades of progress in safety performance, the engineering and construction industry continues to face persistent challenges.
Traditional compliance-based programs often reach a plateau, where incident rates stabilize but do not significantly improve. Recurring events, human error and system weaknesses remain, indicating that compliance alone does not move safety performance to the next level.
Enter Human and Organizational Performance (HOP). Rather than focusing solely on rule adherence and incident prevention, HOP emphasizes understanding how work is performed. Experts like Dr. Todd Conklin and Rob Fisher inspire this leadership philosophy, acknowledging that human error is inevitable. Instead of eliminating mistakes, HOP focuses on building resilient systems designed to adapt, respond, and protect even when things don’t go as planned.
Key principles of HOP include understanding that “error is normal” and that “blame fixes nothing.” These principles encourage organizations to look beyond individual actions and examine the systems, processes and conditions that shape outcomes. By doing so, companies can uncover deeper insights into why incidents occur and implement more effective, sustainable solutions.
For work crews, this approach builds trust. Workers know they can speak up about close calls or challenges without fear of blame. That openness helps teams spot weak points early, adapt to the unexpected and recover without harm. The result builds a proactive safety culture and where every voice helps make the work safer. For instance, after learning that a peer company lost a worker when a sharp edge cut through a fall-protection lifeline, we immediately pulled the same equipment from use and replaced it with a safer system. The decision protected lives and built trust.
As more companies consider HOP, industry conversations center on a key question: How do we transform the theoretical aspects of HOP into practical, daily operations? One of the most impactful tools within HOP remains learning teams. Unlike traditional investigations, which often focus on what went wrong after an incident, learning teams engage frontline workers to understand everyday work conditions before issues arise. This approach captures real-time knowledge, identifies gaps between procedures and practice and fosters workforce ownership in safety improvements. The result? Leaders see a more informed and engaged organization, better equipped to address risks.
Other tools include simple, field-level practices such as pre-task briefings, peer checks and clear communication protocols. These tools help reduce variability in execution and reinforce safe, reliable work practices without adding unnecessary complexity. For example, a key S&B initiative is the People Observing People (POP) program. POP gives workers the ability to evaluate their environment and tasks in real time. Using a simple QR code, they deliver immediate feedback to leadership. This direct connection turns safety into a daily, two-way conversation.
Implementing HOP does not require a complete overhaul of existing safety systems. Instead, it builds upon established frameworks by integrating the human performance principles into daily operations. Successful adoption typically begins with leadership alignment, ensuring that expectations shift from blame to learning. From there, organizations can embed HOP concepts into planning, supervision and continuous improvement processes. For instance, we have integrated these principles into work processes across U.S. job sites. The company's commitment to safety was recently recognized by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), which honored S&B with its 2026 Contractor Safety Achievement Award for work on the ExxonMobil Baytown Olefins Plant 2X Expansion Project.
By equipping teams with practical tools and reinforcing a culture of learning, the company has seen measurable improvements in safety performance, stronger workforce engagement and enhanced reliability. These outcomes demonstrate that when organizations focus on how work is performed, they can achieve more meaningful and sustained results.
As the industry looks to advance beyond compliance-driven safety models, HOP provides a clear and actionable framework. By embracing learning, acknowledging the realities of human performance and strengthening systems, organizations can transform safety. The path forward enables people to succeed within well-designed, resilient systems.
John Bolt is the Senior Vice President of health, safety and environmental (HSE) and security at S&B. He is responsible for driving a culture of safety and operational excellence, and he brings more than 30 years of leadership experience to his role.
Read more about S&B's safety culture here.
