Domestic Scan 14-03

1. Domestic Scan 14-03 • Successful Approaches for the Development of an Organization-Wide Safety Culture in Transportation Agencies”

2. Purpose • Traffic safety agencies are responsible for ensuring the safety of road users. • This is difficult to achieve unless the agency itself has a culture that values safety. • How can such agencies develop a strong safety culture to support their mandate to ensure the safety of road users? • Examine examples of success and lessons learned from other agencies that have already demonstrated a strong safety culture.

3. Methodology • Six organizations with reputation for strong safety cultures. • State DOT and industry organizations • Step 1: Survey based on research of success factors and process for culture change. • Step 2: Supplemental questions. • Step 3: NCHRP panel meeting with organization representatives to discuss specific strategies. • Step 4: NCHRP panel meeting to review and consolidate conclusions.

4. Definition: Organization Culture

5. Definition: Organization Safety Culture (US DOT) • Safety culture within an organization is exemplified by “the shared values and behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to safety over competing goals”.

6. Success Factors • Management and leadership within the organization are publically committed to safety. • The organization emphasizes safety as part of its internal and public image. • The organization has a vision for the goal (success) of the safety culture program. • Safety goals are formalized in organization planning and strategic documents. • The organization has policies and equipment that promote and support safety in workplace. • Failure of safety can be catastrophic and impact the public reputation of the organization.

7. Key Process (Kotter, 2007)

8. Summary • Changing organizational safety culture is a very complex challenge requiring leadership, vision, employee engagement and communication. • The Kotter Change Model is a template that can be used for guidance, however, each organization needs to determine how to improve its safety culture. • Individuals must clearly understand their personal responsibility if an agency is to achieve its safety goals. For a DOT, that means its employees, its contractors and the users of the transportation system.

9. MN leadership from on high - role of executive leadership - has to be actual energy and action and investing in it not just talk • Presentation from contractor - is safety really important? Is it really your #1 priority? (lack of action - put up cones to protect people) • Bullet point list - factors in organizations with strong safety culture

10. Safety goals are formalized in organization planning and strategic documents • There is open communication within the organization about safety programs and goals • The organization has a “democratic” style of management and leadership (based on worker input)

11. Safety goals in organization planning and strategic documents • Washington State, Zero traffic deaths by 2030 • FHWA, toward zero deaths • MnSAFE, reduce workplace injuries 25%

12. Open communication about safety programs and goals • Monsanto CEO, quarterly virtual town hall meetings • Iowa DOT, social media, dynamic message boards, weekly newsletters • MnSAFE, follow up with 5% per year injury reductions • FHWA, every day counts sharing proven innovations

13. Summary • The documents that “guide” the organization must have the safety goals • You can’t communicate and share best practices too much • Are employees speaking up? Are you comfortable with all your efforts?

14. Strategic Themes • Increase value (priority) of safety (e.g., TZD Vision). • Change behaviors related to safety (e.g., Arch Angel). • Create social bond to support mutual safety (e.g., bystander intervention). • Leverage positive aspects of existing culture (e.g., importance of safety to family).

15. National Center for Rural Road Safety http://ruralsafetycenter.org Archived Webinar for Scan 14-03 http://www.domesticscan.org/14-03-successful-approaches-for-the-development-of-an-organization-wide-safety-culture-in-transportation-agencies