Safety is senior management's responsibility. Irrespective of the internal and external safety audits, they should go on site visits to see for themselves the safety culture at their organization. But some members of management are hesitant to go on site visits as they feel they lack the skills to evaluate risks and hazards. In this slideshow, John Wolfe, himself part of management at Suncor Energy, shares best practices for site visits to help leaders go well-prepared for the site visits.

1. Sustainable Process Safety Strategies
Process Area Site Observation Techniques
Operations Integrity Audit Training

2. Sustainable Process Safety Strategies
1. Look for high consequence activities
2. Look for small signals that can indicate system weakness or
issues within the normal work process
3. Look for error provoking system steps and processes.
4. Look for error likely conditions
5. Listen to your workers
6. What keeps you awake at night?
7. Ask: What needs to go right?
What could go wrong?
How could things go wrong?
What things have gone wrong?

3. Sustainable Safety Leadership and Performance
3

4. PROCESS
SAFETY
WORKSHOP
DEVELOP
ROADMAP
ONLINE &
INTERVIEW
HUMAN
FACTORS
PROCESS
SAFETY
MGT
SAFETY MGMT
SYSTEMS
ACCLERATED
LEARNING
PERFORMANCE
COACHING
QUALITATIVE
MEASUREMENT
ON TASK
COACHING
BBS
EARLY
INDICATORS
PRECURSORS SUCESSORS
RISK
PERFORMANCE
COACHING
Risk profiling and intervention approaches
4
HUMAN
PERFORMANCE
SAFETY IN
DESIGN
MOC
CULTURE
EVOLUTION
LEADERSHIP
VISIBILTY
TEAM
DYNAMICS
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE

5. Coaching Leaders on High Impact Interactions
Educate leaders on hazard identification and mitigation
• Recognize hazards their people are exposed to
• Help their people address them in order to:
• Set the actual standards, and operating controls / procedures
• Educate staff on hazards
• Intervene in situations where they should
Enhance the quality of personal interventions in the field
• Effective communication on the standards they expect
• Create/ reinforce culture of mutual dependence and oversight
• Positively encourage and educate leaders on how to teach their people to
intervene with each other, and adhere to operational controls
Gaining deep insights from observations in the field
• Leaders understand what they should do differently to enhance the quality of the
outcomes in the field
5

6. Refocus on behaviors and performance
Performance
Metrics/
Reporting
Performance
Metrics/
Reporting
Safety
Moments
Safety
Moments
Permit to
Work
Permit to
Work
Job
Hazard
Analysis
Job
Hazard
Analysis
Leaders’
Engagements in
the Field
Leaders’
Engagements in
the Field
Tool Box
Talks
Tool Box
Talks
Behavioral
Observation
Programs
Behavioral
Observation
Programs
Management
of Change
Processes
Management
of Change
Processes
TrainingTraining
AuditingAuditing
6

7. Equipping leaders to breathe life into process
Performance
Metrics/
Reporting
Performance
Metrics/
Reporting
Safety
Moments
Safety
Moments
Permit to
Work
Permit to
Work
Job
Hazard
Analysis
Job
Hazard
Analysis
Leaders’
Engagements in
the Field
Leaders’
Engagements in
the Field
Tool Box
Talks
Tool Box
Talks
Behavioral
Observation
Programs
Behavioral
Observation
Programs
Management
of Change
Processes
Management
of Change
Processes
TrainingTraining
AuditingAuditing
! ! !
! ! !
?????
7

8. Leaders that manage safety performance well:
1. Are fixated on where the next failure will happen
Looking in the field for environments that are confusing, super-
risky, high pressure or “just don’t feel right”
2. Constantly strive to reduce complicated operations
Learning how to do complex work in uncomplicated ways, asking
“does complication make work easier to do, or serving some part of
the organisation other than the worker?”
3. Respond to low level signals seriously
Identifying early warning signs in their business risk profile and
putting in place measures to let us know when things begin to “drift”
4. Respond to events deliberately
When something fails, as it will, they slow down and learn, so that
true causes can be discovered and future events can be
prevented. Where things go right, they also learn why?

9. Lets Take a Look At What Mangers Should Look For When They Visit The
Front Line
Introduction
Topic 1: General Housekeeping Conditions
Topic 2: Physical Conditions Observations
Topic 3: Behavioral Based Observations and Procedure
Adherence Checks

10. Introduction
• Personal observations set our
perception about a state of being or
condition
• Making informal observations is
something we do all the time
• ‘Formal’ observations in a workplace
(such as physical conditions audits or
behavioural based audits) can provide
both objective evidence as well as
provide lagging indicators of site
culture, leadership and commitment
• When effective site observations are
made in conjunction with effective
interviewing techniques, auditors will be
able to substantiate and verify a good
portion of evidence provided

11. Introduction
• Performing ‘formal’ observations in the
workplace (such as physical
conditions audits or behavioural based
audits) can be out of some people’s
‘comfort zone’
• Why?
• Area may be intimidating
• Worker’s may be intimidating
• May not know if worker is telling the truth,
or if they know what they’re talking about
• May not be sure what to look for
• May not understand what’s ‘good’ or
what’s ‘bad’
• So, let’s start with ‘the
fundamentals’

12. Housekeeping Conditions - Perception Is Everything!
• What can we determine from simple ‘housekeeping’ observations?
• A high level of housekeeping in a facility can be a precursor to finding:
– Good programs, processes
– A basic level of safety culture throughout the facility, and the
organization
– Established values and beliefs
– A sense of ‘ownership’
– Leadership commitment
– Individual contributor commitment
– High morale, pride in the workplace
• The extent to which each employee accepts his share of responsibility for
housekeeping establishes the level of housekeeping. When each one
does his share, all benefit by having a clean, safe plant in which to work.

13. Housekeeping Conditions - Perception Is Everything!
• What does ‘Good Housekeeping’ look like in an industrial facility?
– Lack of debris and trash
– Walking surfaces free from tripping, slipping, and stumbling hazards.
– Orderly arrangement of storage and work equipment, with aisles that
are marked and kept clear
– No pools of oil or laying water
– No visible leaks, drips
– No steam leaks
– Hoses are wrapped up, coiled and stored
– Good signage and lighting

14. General Rules
• Most (if not all) industrial facilities have ‘General Rules’ that workers are required to
follow. Some commonly found and widespread ‘General Rules’ include:
– Emergency equipment must be plainly marked and free from any obstacles.
– Danger zones must be clearly identified by visible and physical barricades
(barrier chains, barricades etc). Only authorized personnel are allowed within
these areas.
– Equipment must not be operated unless all guards and safety devices are in
place.
– Personal Protective Equipment must be worn in process areas or other
hazardous areas.
– Flammable or corrosive liquids must be stored and transported in approved
containers.
– Lights at exits and safety showers must be in proper working order and in
service at all times.
– Safety showers and eyewash fountains must be unobstructed and accessible at
all times.
– Good housekeeping practices are to be followed at all times.
– All unsafe practices and conditions must be corrected as promptly as possible,
and reported to the immediate supervisor at the first opportunity.
– Non-work injuries that could become aggravated on the job must be reported.
– Only authorized personnel may operate plant equipment.

15. Physical Conditions and Behavioral Based Observations
• What’s the difference?
• Physical Conditions Observations are sometimes called ‘Housekeeping
Tours’
• They can be informal observations or a formal ‘safety tour’
• They assess the physical assets and working conditions
• Behavioral Based Observations are ‘people based’
• The can also be informal and formal
• They assess people’s actions, reactions, work habits and compliance to
rules
Being aware of, and applying these types of observations throughout the
duration of a site audit can provide you with a substantial amount of
information that will help you validate information provided during formal
interviews

16. Physical Conditions and Behavioral Based Observations
Generally speaking, ‘formal’ Physical Conditions Audits are less intimidating to
perform than ‘formal’ Behavioral Based Observations. Why?

17. Assessing Physical Conditions
• When walking through facilities, pay attention to the following key items:
• Housekeeping
• Equipment and Tools
• Hazard Controls
• Emergency Equipment
• Personal protective equipment
• Behaviours
• Hazards

18. Assessing Physical Conditions - Housekeeping
WORK AREA AND EQUIPMENT
• Floors / Working Surfaces (Clean & Unobstructed)
• Lockers / Cupboards (Clean & Orderly)
• Desks / Tables
• Aisles, Stairs & Passageways
• Egress / Exits
• Ventilation (fume hoods, welding fume extractors)
• Lighting
• Work Stations
• Filing Cabinets
• Waste disposal containers
• Stacking and Storage

19. Assessing Physical Conditions - Housekeeping
WORK AREA AND EQUIPMENT
• Cramped Quarters
• Blind Corners
• Exposure to Moving Stock and Traffic
• Unsecured Items Overhead
• Restricted or Prohibited Areas
• Hazards from Nearby Operations
• Sharp Edges or Burrs
• Barricades
• Painting, Insulation, General Repair

20. Assessing Physical Conditions – Equipment & Tools
ARE EQUIPMENT & TOOLS:
• Right for the Job ?
• Used Correctly ?
• In Safe Condition ?
• Carried or Stored Properly ?
• Inspected and Coded Properly ?

21. Assessing Physical Conditions – Equipment & Tools
TYPICAL EQUIPMENT & TOOLS TO LOOK FOR INCLUDE:
• Electrical Cords / Cables (wire pinched, coating free of cracks)
• Electrical Tools / Equipment
• Electrical Power Bars
• Electrical Substations and Battery Rooms
• Hand and Portable Tools (Including GFI’s)
• Lifting Gear, Hoisting, Material Handling Equipment (lifting,
carrying, lowering, pushing, pulling)
• Vehicles / Bicycles
• Mobile Equipment
• Ladders (3 to 1 or 4 to 1 ratio incline, extended 3 rungs above
platform, feet and rungs in good shape, tied in place)
• Scaffolds/Platforms (tag in place, free from obstructions)

22. Assessing Physical Conditions – Equipment & Tools
EQUIPMENT & TOOLS (cont’d)
• Utility Hoses/Utility Stations (no bulges in hose, coiled)
• Pressure Vessels
• Furnaces & Boilers
• Industrial Storage Tanks
• Machine Guarding & Caps (guard in place, caps on cylinders)
• Grounding Systems (free of breaks, connections tight, lights)
• Pressure Gauges/Regulators (no cracks)
• Loading Racks & Docks (Life Rings/Ropes)
• Ponds & Separators
• Compressed Gases (labels, secured, caps on when not in use)
• Chemicals & Fuels (Small Volume Containers)

23. Assessing Physical Conditions – Hazard Controls
TYPICAL HAZARD CONTROLS INCLUDE:
• Exposed Insulation on piping/ceiling tiles/vessels etc.
• Signs & Tags
• Labelling/Securing/Guarding
• Lock Out Procedures
• Barrier Chains/Barricades
• Materials Labelling (WHMIS, Hazardous Service)
• Warning Systems
• Work Permits
• Bull Plugs & Caps
• Sewer Covers

24. Assessing Physical Conditions – Emergency Equipment
TYPICAL EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT INCLUDES:
• Fire Extinguishers (punched, good condition, charged)
• Exit Signs
• Emergency Lights & Exit Signs
• Radios
• Safety Valves
• Shut Down Isolation Devices‑
• Showers & Eye Baths
• Rescue Stations
• Emergency Instructions
• Emergency Generators & Battery Systems
• Emergency Personal Protective Equipment

25. Assessing Physical Conditions – Personal Protective Equipment
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (Area or Job Requirements)
• Eyes
• Face
• Head
• Hands
• Arms
• Feet and Legs
• Respiratory System
• Trunk

26. Assessing Physical Conditions – Personal Protective Equipment
LOOK FOR EVIDENCE AND PROPER DEMONSTRATION OF:
• Eye Protection (CSA markings, side shields present)
• Ear Protection (condition of cushions, compliance, fit for plugs)
• Respiratory Protection (training, fit testing)
• Head Protection (ANSI hardhat, no cracks)
• Hand Protection (glove appropriate for hazard)
• Foot Protection (CSA green patch, toes covered, tread)
• Body Protection
• Fall Protection (worn properly, lanyard tied off)

27. Assessing Physical Conditions – Hazards
LOOK FOR EVIDENCE OF:
• Biological Hazards (bacteria, moulds, fungi, sewage, contact with blood)
• Biological Hazards (Standing water present for more than four days)
• Chemical Hazards (routes of entry inhalation, ingestion, absorption through
skin)
• Presence of Fugitive emissions, mist, vapour, dust, fumes, smoke.
• Presence of labels, WHMIS symbols, MSDS.
• Confined Spaces (hazardous gases, vapours, dusts, fumes, poor entry or
egress, poor lighting)
• Ergonomics (screen glare, poor workstation, non-adjustable keyboard tray, poor
chair, poor worker orientation, wrist straight, elbows at 90 degrees)
• Noise (>90 dB required, signs, process areas)
• Temperature extremes (hot & cold) training on signs and symptoms of heat
stroke, heat cramps.
• Vibration (tools with dampening material on hand holds on jack hammers,
tampers, etc.)
• Radiation (signs, condition of enclosure)
• Training (Alky, WHMIS, First Aid-CPR) cards current

28. Behavioral Based Observations
Positions and Actions of People
• Look for the evaporative act, the one that disappears before you notice it if
you are not a skilled observer.
• Look for possible causes of injury, such as
– Activity, Conditions and Substances
– Striking or being struck
– Temperature extremes
– Being trapped in, on, between
– Electrical current
– Falling
– Fumes
– Overexerting
– Hazardous exposure (acids, solvents, etc.)

29. Behavioral Based Observations
Positions and Actions of People
• Changing Position
• Rearranging Job
• Stopping Job
• Hurrying
• Running
• Exposure to Moving Equipment
• Wearing Proper Safety Equipment
• Following Standard Practice
• Using Proper Equipment and Tools
• Following Rules, Procedures
• Using Good Judgment

30. Behavioral Based Observations
Positions and Actions of People
• Striking Against (Struck By)
• Caught Between
• Falling
• Climbing
• Off Balance
• Temperature Extremes
• Electrical Current
• Inhaling, Absorbing, Swallowing
• Overexertion
• Walking in Designated Aisles or Walks
• Riding on Portable Equipment

31. Behavioral Based Observations
Personal Protective Equipment
• PPE provides the worker with a necessary ‘layer of protection’
– Is it adequate?
– Is it in good repair?
– Is it available?
• Reflects a sate of mind
• Pay attention to employees who do not wear the required equipment
– Why are they ignoring the requirement?
– Momentary lapse?
– Habitual?
– Equipment is uncomfortable or otherwise inconvenient?

32. Behavioral Based Observations
Clothing
• Loose Clothing
• Watches, Rings and Chains
• Loose Shoelaces
• Safety shoes or street shoes
• Loose Shoe Soles or Heels
• Ties, scarves

33. Behavioral Based Observations
Use of Tools and Other Equipment
• Are they:
– Right for the job?
– Used correctly?
– In safe condition?
• Look out for homemade tools and odd pieces of pipe or steel strap that
look as if they might have been used instead of proper tools.

34. Behavioral Based Observations
Procedures
• Are they:
– Adequate?
– Documented?
– Understood?
– Being followed?

35. Behavioral Based Observations
Performance
• Unsafe Acts (Rule Violations)
• Job Knowledge
• Initiative (Interest)
• Following Standard Practice
• Quality of Workmanship

36. Behavioral Based Observations
Attitude – what are they talking about?
• Preoccupied
• Family Problems
• Money
• Illness in Family
• Daydreamer
• Worried
• Angry
• Quick-Tempered
• Cooperative

37. Positive Reinforcement (R+)
("Do this & you'll be rewarded")
Negative Reinforcement (R-)
("Do this or else you'll be penalized")
Punishment (P)
("If you do this, you'll be penalized")
Extinction (E)
("Ignore it and it'll go away")
If You Find an Issue Only 4 Types of Consequences:
Behavior

38. Positive Reinforcement (R+)
("Do this & you'll be rewarded")
The One you want is:
Behavior

39. Get Out To The Front Line More Often and Watch Performance Improve