Understanding Our Metrolink Safety Culture

Metrolink System SafetyOctober 2011

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Number of Reported Class “A” Employee Cases per 200,000 Hours Worked

January – September 30, 2011

3FRA 1.01: Accident/Incident Overview

Number of Reported Class “A” Employee Cases per 200,000 Hours Worked

January – October 31, 2011

4FRA 1.01: Accident/Incident Overview

Why is Safety Culture so HOT?

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Metrolink System External Risk • 164 weekday trains• 55 stations, not all stations

grade separated • Passenger behavior at

stations• Operates on a 512-mile

system, 835 grade crossings all types

• Multiple carriers, freight and passenger speeds and tonnage

• Human interaction with signal system

• Gate malfunction

Metrolink System Internal Risk • Contractor beliefs, attitudes and behaviors differ

• Various County perspectives (MTA, OCTA, VCTC, RCTC, and SANBAG

• Construction projects• Third Party behaviors • Training performed at various

levels and perspectives• Varied expectations• Effective communication

Metrolink Safety MissionAt Metrolink, safety is foundational. Everything we do demonstrates an appreciation for life and every act values the lives of our employees, contractor co-workers, customers and communities.

The safety of our employees is a core value at Metrolink and is woven into the fabric of what we do each and every day. Keeping our workplace safe is everyone’s responsibility. Performing our job safely is our ultimate responsibility.

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Replace this slide with Chatsworth plaque

Safety Culture

“The core values, behaviors and collective commitment by leaders and individuals to emphasize safety over competing goals that ensure protection of people and the environment results in a positive safety culture.”

Safety Culture Defined

Safety Culture can be simply defined as:

•The framework (layout, type, structure, design) of the organization

•The attitude, beliefs and behaviors of staff and contractors at all levels in response to the framework of the organization

Let’s discuss Key traits

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HOT

Nine Safety Traits of Safety Culture

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•Leadership•Problem Identification and Resolution•Personal Accountability •Improving Work Processes•Continuous Learning•Work Environment for Raising Concerns•Effective Communication•Respectful Work Environment•Questioning Work Environment

Nine Traits of Positive Safety Culture

Nine Traits Defined

1. Leadership Safety and Actions

Leaders demonstrate a commitment to safety in their decisions and behaviors;

2. Problem Identification and Resolution

Issues potentially impacting safety are promptly identified, fully evaluated, and promptly addressed and corrected commensurate with their significance;

Nine Traits Defined

3. Personal Accountability

All individuals take personal responsibility for safety;

4. Work Processes The process of planning and controlling work activities implemented so that safety is maintained; action;

Nine Traits of Positive Safety Culture

Nine Traits Defined

5. Continuous Learning

Opportunities to learn about ways to ensure safety are sought out and implemented;

6. Environment for Raising Concerns

A safety conscious work environment is maintained where personnel feel free to raise safety concerns without fear of retaliation , intimidation, harassment, or discrimination;

Nine Traits Defined

7. Effective Safety Communication

Communications maintain a focus on safety;

8. Respectful Work Environment

Trust and respect permeate the organization; and

9. Questioning Attitude Individuals avoid complacency and continuously challenge existing conditions and activities in order to indentify discrepancies that might result in error or inappropriate behavior. Opportunities to learn about ways to ensure safety are sought out and implemented.

Short Clip on Safety Leadership Traits and Positive Safety Culture

Do We Understand What We Don’t Know?

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Safety Culture Approach

Safety Culture CommunicationTo have a strong safety culture you must have a good two-way flow of information.

Leading indicator information must be collected and transmitted openly.

The flow of information must reflect reality and maintain credibility.

What is Metrolink’s Safety Culture?

Culture is always changing for the better or worse.

Employees and contractor’s beliefs and attitudes reflect the culture; which interact with

the organization, it’s structure and control systems, to produce positive behavior.

Understanding Our Safety CultureFiction or non-fiction?

Our underlying stories, ideas or beliefs around Safety (whether true or not).

• “Taking shortcuts is okay when we have late trains”• “Achieving zero injuries is impossible” • “If I report near-misses I will get yelled at”• “Even if we report problems, nothing ever gets

fixed”

Drivers of Safety Cultural Change

Progress can be incremental

Employee Commitment

Building a strong culture takes time

CULTURECULTURECHANGECHANGE

• Building a strong Safety Culture takes time.

• It often occurs incrementally (two steps forward and one step back).

• Works best when everyone sees value in the cultural change and feels they are an active player.

How do employees find valuein a positive Safety Culture?

Is culture change all about what’s in it for me?

Positive and long-lasting, sustainable change will occur when people believe, understand and are a part of (are active players in) the evolution of the change.

Let’s discuss some key tools

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Key Safety Culture Tools and Elements

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A Positive Safety Culture is an:Informed Culture

• Management knows what is going on in their organization.

• Management knows where the hot spots, critical and high-risk areas are

• Two-way communication is constant, a part of the culture, is intrinsic

• There is consistent analytical review of data and risk mitigation

A Positive Safety Culture is a:Flexible Culture

• The organization is resilient; can cope with new challenges and circumstances

• Can change directions according to data and trend analysis

• Adapts to new processes

A Positive Safety Culture is an: Accountable Culture

• An accountable culture is a disciplined culture.• Everyone is accountable for safety.• Accountability is clearly defined and consistent.• Holding persons accountable is not about blame.

Workplace Safety Culture

A Positive Safety Culture is a:Reporting Culture

• Understanding the system risk and what to report

• Understanding leading and lagging indicators• Understanding facts versus speculation• Is dependent upon trust, transparency, fairness • Data is used to inform and improve the system

risk and safety culture• Data accuracy

A Positive Safety Culture is a:Learning Culture

• Continuously training and educating staff and contractors (H = HUMAN)

• The organization is continually learning, growing and improving (O = ORGANIZATION)

• Continuously updating and upgrading technologies (T = TECHNOLOGY)

A Questioning Culture

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•Individuals avoid complacency and continuously challenge existing conditions and activities in order to indentify discrepancies that might result in error or inappropriate behavior

•No retaliation or harassment, be respectful and reasonable with questioning

A Positive Safety Culture is a: Just and Fair Culture

• Supervisors must not play favorites.• Every worker must be treated fairly; fairly does not

always mean equally.• Supervisors must accommodate for valid

circumstances (e.g., disability) and apply wise judgment.

Let’s discuss some key measure of Safety Culture

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Ways to Measure Safety Culture Success

Employee/contractor perception surveys examine:• Knowledge of System Risks• Management/Supervisor commitment and

support• Employee ‘s commitment and involvement• Personal safety responsibility• Basic knowledge, education levels and learning

requirements , Safety Action Plans and Hazard Assessments

Changing our Safety Culture Drawing your line in

the sand

Is today’s safety culture acceptable? Is today’s safety culture acceptable?

Not acceptableNot acceptable??