Increase safe behaviors has a measurable impact on injuries. Observe safety actions and remove the structural risks, measure, appreciate and reward the right behaviors are activities on the basis of a Behavior-Based Safety process.

“With B-BS we have changed the culture, reduced accidents and medication”

Heineken, Whirlpool, Embraco, Techint and DIAB presented the results of their processes Behavior-Based Safety on the European Congress of Behaviour Based Safety (Rome, 6-8 June 2012)Rome, June 7, 2012 – The companies that in recent years have begun the process of behavioral safety are beginning to analyze the benefits: the number of injuries and medications – the same hours worked – is declining in all plants where the process is present.
You read these considerations in the papers published in the 6 th European Congress of Behavior-Based Safety as outcome of a symposium dedicated to experiences obtained with B-BS in companies such as Heineken, Whirlpool, Embraco Europe, Techint E & C and Diab.

Embraco Europe, manufacturer of compressors – Plant in Riva presso Chieri

“The B-BS protocol was applicable and effective. It still has room for improvement, but the process has already shown its effects already a few months after the implementation lowering both the rate of injuries and medications, “said Gianpiero Lever, Safety Officer Embraco Europe, Brazilian subsidiary of the multinational manufacturer of compressors with more than 400 employees at its plant in Riva di Chieri (TO). Embraco has initiated the B-BS process in its factory a year ago, from 2010 to 2011; a reduction from 14 to 9 injuries has been observed and first aids from 180 to 62. A same number of hours worked has shown a reduction of 34%.
“With this method it is possible to spread the safety culture, or even creating a work environment where everyone put safety first, creating a safety relationship between colleagues at work”, says Leva.

DIAB, manufacturer of composite panels – Plant Longarone

“The recent history of the Diab Longarone talks about injury rates ranged from high values and low values. From 2009 onwards there was a marked decrease in the ‘frequency index, ie number of accidents per million hours worked,” state in the acts Toni Barp, plant manager, and Sebastiano Cannata, head of security, which have implemented the protocol B-BS in the plant of Longarone Diab. The plant employs about 200 people in the production of panels for marine and energy industry. Moreover, “there’s been the longest period without an injury in the history of Diab in the last 15 years – 160 days – and also a decrease in medication: 29 in 2010, 19 in 2011, until April 4, 2012.”, added authors.”

Heineken Italy, manufacturer of beer – 4 factories in Italy

“Heineken has launched a plan in 2010 to become the largest green brewer in the world : Brewing a Better Future. The BBS is one of the elements to achieve this goal, “said Alessandro Merlo, Safety Manager for Heineken Italy, in the acts of Congress that describes the first results obtained from the process.
“In these first five months of implementation the number of accidents with no disability decreased by 47%,” says Merlo in the acts of Congress.

Whirlpool EMEA, a manufacturer of household appliances – 4 factories in Italy

“The first results we have found, a few months following the project in the pilot plant, with a general increase in safe behavior in terms of frequency, especially in areas of the primary processes of molding and machining of metal and ‘ assembling products. In these departments was also recorded, immediately, a rapid increase in the use of Personal Protective Equipment “, they write in the acts Alberto Testi, HSE Senior Manager EMEA at Whirlpool. “After 4 months of field work, we also recorded a substantial reduction steps in the infirmary, the first so-called AIDS which, over the previous year, have been halved. The reduction of accidents in the same wards was equal to 30% over the previous year.”

Techint E & C, industrial buildings – Work in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

“The Health, Safety and Environment are prime targets for Techint E & C,” says Canio Pietragallo, HSE Director of Techint. “The B-BS – continues Pietragallo – has enabled us to achieve brilliant results in terms of millions of hours without accidents and Strong Commitment to the safety of both the top management of Site Management Techint E & C. Applying the protocol B-BS we are confident to replicate in Yanbu (Saudi Arabia) the same exciting success of Damietta in Egypt.”

AARBA: “Happy, but not surprised”

“These results comfort us, but it does not surprise us because the B-BS is a protocol with 40 years of testing behind it: we have seen in the media that started a process is capable of reducing accidents by 54% in the early startup” says Fabio Tosolin, President of the Scientific Society of Behavior Analysis AARBA, organizer of the Congress together with ANMIL, Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies and University of Nevada. “To safeguard the health and lives of workers must respect the laws of the State and Science: companies today are focused on data messages before they happen, the behavior of security and our companies are full of lessons, signs, procedures and campaigns – Tosolin says – “but, to obtain a better behavior is much more effective, in light of the experimental data, observe among colleagues and give feedback after the behavior, focusing particularly on what our colleague has made a positive and analyzing the causes of its possible risk behavior. This is one of the fundamental elements of a behavior-based safety process, begun in dozen companies in Italy”.

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