Assessment of the Organizational Safety Culture of Clackamas County Fire District #1

1. Assessment of the Organizational Safety Culture of Clackamas County Fire District #1 By Kenneth Horn EMPA Candidate

2. Background • Firefighter deaths and injuries in the United States Fire service continue to be problematic. • Since 2005 Firefighter deaths per 1000 fires has increased 37% (U.S. Fire Administration,2009) • CCFD1 16 cases involving FF injuries resulting in 114 shifts missed and approximately $114,000.00 in overtime

3. Literature Review • Literature reviewed from other “high-risk” industries including: Aviation, Nuclear Power, Mining, and Off-Shore Drilling. • Fire Service Studies by Alan Williams and William Pessemier. • Literature review supporting hypotheses on sub-groups, efficiency, and individual accountability.

4. Purpose “Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety; incorporating leadership, supervision, management, accountability, and personal responsibility” -Everyone Goes Home Initiative Program, 2004

5. Purpose of study

6. Purpose • Time to move away from Lagging Indicators and incorporate Leading Indicators. • Reduce Injuries, save lives, and reduce costs associated with injuries. • Provide more tools in the toolbox of Chief and Company Officers.

7. Objectives • Identify the make-up of the organizational safety culture within CCFD#1. • Determine if there are identifiable sub-groups related to safety. • Determine if Fire Fighters value efficiency over safety. • Determine if Fire Fighters value individual accountability over safety.

8. The Project • Safety Cultural Survey sent to all members of the Department. • Descriptive methods used to analyze the collected data assessing the organizational “attitude” towards safety. • Follow-up interviews to capture qualitative data.

9. Outcome • Identifiable sub groups can be found within the organization. • Firefighters tend tovalue efficiency over safety. • The results of the survey do not support that Fire Fighters will value individual accountability over safety… however. • Additional research in needed.

10. Significance The National Fire Fighters Foundation and the Public Entity Risk Institute reports that: “the company officer play THE critical role in defining on a day-to-day basis the nature of the organizational safety culture in a fire department”

11. Significance • In the CNN interviews, the workers described a corporate culture of cutting staff and ignoring warning signs ahead of the blast. They said BP routinely cut corners and pushed ahead despite concerns about safety. • The rig survivors also said it was always understood that you could get fired if you raised safety concerns that might delay drilling. Some co-workers had been fired for speaking out, they said. • Safety was "almost used as a crutch by the company," Barron said. • "It's like they used it against us --the safety policies -- you know, to their advantage.

12. Implications of Project • Developed the competencies address complicated issues • Provide tools and information to leaders within the organization to develop and improve safety related policies • Provide tools for company officers to improve safety related practices

13. Acknowledgements • A Big Thanks to: • Dr. Masami Nishishiba • Dr. Matt Jones • All Faculty members

14. Thanks to the Cohort!

16. …and a big thanks to my family