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Causing Culture Change Human Error Blamed for 90 Percent of Workplace Accidents

Human error is involved in more than 90 percent of all accidents and injuries in the workplace. The remedy, relative to both process safety and occupational safety, requires a focus on worker behaviors and work methods (the culture) at all levels within an organization.

Until now, few organizations have been able to devote the resources required to gain any real ground in this area. The Practicing Perfection Institute, Inc. is offering safety professionals the tools and strategies by which to rapidly, sustainably, and cost effectively effect the necessary culture change within their organizations.

As a remedy, study after study has recommended a focus on worker behaviors and the methods by which people do their work. This is a grand idea; however, outside of academic recommendation, there is little indication that this approach has gained much ground.

Culture Profiles conducted by the Practicing Perfection Institute, Inc. (PPI) over the past two years have revealed that (1) most organizations recognize the benefit of taking safety performance to the ‘next level’ (and have a genuine desire to do so), (2) inconsistencies between organizational, process and front line priorities continue to set people up to make mistakes, and (3) the results of downsizing combined with competitive pressures have created organizational workloads that afford little time for understanding and tackling issues that will create substantive and sustainable improvements in process and worker safety.

PPI further indicates that while responsible and forward-thinking organizations have a stated desire to take safety performance to the ‘next level’, they tend to balk when it comes to planning, execution and making real progress. This is because most of the arrows are pointing to the “human element” within the organization (at all levels, not just the front line).

“Between 84 and 94 percent of all human errors can be directly attributed to process, programmatic, or organizational issues,” said Tim Autrey, Founder/CEO of PPI. “It is fundamental to understand this, and it is fundamental to understand that people created (and continue to create) this 84 to 94 percent. Mistakes don’t just happen on the frontline.”

So, what’s the answer?

“The answer is to engage the workforce at all levels within the organization,” continued Autrey, “and do so in a manner that actually changes the culture. Apply enough resources, and you can drive performance within any organization in one direction or another for a period of time, but if you want to achieve ‘next level’ performance (and sustain it), you must change the culture. Culture ultimately determines results.”

PPI has worked with many organizations over the past two years, helping them to enhance their cultures to ‘next level’ performance through a process known as Practicing Perfection. “There are hundreds of maps that promise to get you there,” offered Allan Reed, Safety Trainer at the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), “but very few deliver. Practicing Perfection helped us discover our most powerful weapon against accidents…our employees.”

Until now, the culture enriching process of Practicing Perfection® has only been available to organizations directly through PPI; however, the Institute is announcing a First Wave opportunity for dedicated safety professionals to become certified in the use of these powerful strategies and tools.

“Achieving PPC Certification,” offered Autrey, “will be an amazing career opportunity for individuals fortunate enough to grab a participant slot (especially in this First Wave). Likewise, it will be an incredible tool for any organization wanting to elevate its Safety Culture and jump ahead of its competition. We’re rapidly approaching the ‘knee in the curve’. As the proven effectiveness of Practicing Perfection takes hold, it’s destined to become the next “excellence” in organizational performance.” FSM