Human Factors in the Chemical and Process Industries

Chapter 18

Safety culture and behavior

E. Novatsis

Abstract

This chapter discusses the concept of safety culture, the shared ways of thinking and behaving in relation to safety in an organization. Three key aspects of safety culture are addressed: (1) definition, (2) assessment, and (3) development and reinforcement. In defining safety culture, different definitions and models are discussed, with an emphasis on establishing a clear and practical definition in an organization. The considerations involved with conducting a safety culture assessment are then presented, along with different assessment methods and their respective advantages and disadvantages. The effort and persistence involved in developing safety culture is then addressed. A number ...