Is "Zero Accidents" a realistic goal?

S

samsung

#41
Zero accidents is more like a philosophy that could be achieved by reporting / preventing hazards, take responsibility;ity for own safety, assessments and audits of safety programs, foster safety leadreship in each employee and above all, everyone should believe that zero accidents is possible.
It is recognized that human error would never be eliminated since it is a part of normal human behavior. So, the goal, in my opinion, should be to control the human error which in turn depends on how much of it you can tolerate.
 
Elsmar Forum Sponsor
#42
Hi !

As Brahmaiah I like considere that "Accidents don't happen, they are caused" . I"s wy I said we sould have proactives goals about occupational risks (for safety AND health) rather reactives goals regarding ONLY accident number (but deseases ?).

I agree with Jim Wynne too "The problem with the idea of counting lost-time accidents is that once a streak is going, no one wants to be the one to break it, and people wind up going to work when they should be staying home" and people begins even nor to declare their accidents, neither to have medical traitment of injuries.

Concerning what Somercq said I think he ilustrates the difference between "third" prevention (occupationnal accidents and deseases consequences réduction) and "first" prevention (occupationnal accidents and deseases risks and causes prevention). [I don't know the right way is to use "first/second/third" ou "primary/secondary/tertiary" preventions]
We should have third prevention actions, but we have to privilege especially and fundamentally the primary prevention actions (see any OHSMS standards as the international one or your national standard ANSI CSA BS...).

Yes Qualitytrec, "zero" NDL can be the 2010 goal regarding tertiary prevention, but I prefer have primary prevention goals as zero CMR chemicals in my prossesses, maximum 75dB(A) noice level exposition in my plants, maximum 5kg weight human handling, etc... such goals are motivating all the competenses of functions and hierarchic levels in ours companies (we don't only stigmatise the "accident-fault" of the working subordinates as the NDL or the "zero accident" goals).

Best regards.
 
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J

JaneB

#43
I still stand by the fact that zero LTA's and MA's are completely attainable in ANY environment IF management spends the time to create the required culture. IF management doesn't spend that time, you are completely wasting your time (gee - sound similar to quality anyone?!?!?!).
I agree with you. Safety isn't my consulting field, but I have had opportunities to see inside a heck of a lot of different companies as a consultant. One very large multinational is still a stand-out in my mind. Before their new CE), their culture of safety was largely of the 'ultimately, accidents are inevitable, so we'll comply with the law and just do the best we can'. (Australia by the way has OH&S regimes and legislation which sound very similar to yours - unfortunately, each state is different, which makes national operations a complex thing ).

It was quite incredible the difference that CEO made over a few short years - eg, their LTI (Lost Time Through Injuries) came down from over 17 to under 2 in a couple of years! They wrote one of the best health & safety policies I've ever read - simple, straightforward and clear as crystal - and they put it into action. Made changes in operations, changed equipment, changed work methods... even more importantly, health & safety was put VERY high on the management agenda, and senior management held to account for each and every problem. They not only 'talked the talk' as the cliche goes, but they really walked it as well, and one of the most important outcomes was that it got embedded into everyone's consciousness as 'just what we do around here'.

I think a zero target is realistic and is achievable. Can it be held at zero 'forever'? Perhaps not, but it's one I'd keep setting and striving to achieve, or, having achieved, to maintain.
 

Ajit Basrur

Staff member
Admin
#44
It is recognized that human error would never be eliminated since it is a part of normal human behavior. So, the goal, in my opinion, should be to control the human error which in turn depends on how much of it you can tolerate.
But if the goal does not motivate working towards zero accidents, its no use.
 
#45
Hi JaneB !

Your testimony looks like the implementation of a real approach of OH&S management exceeding the simple expression of an "zero accident" objective. To progress, I think this company did not thus used a single "zero accident" objective. But I have two points of curiosity:
- Were you able to verify that certain accidents had not been "hidden" to contribute to this result ?
- Did this company also take charge of health risks which do not pull "accidents" ?

Best regards.
 

rnsvasan

Involved In Discussions
#46
May I suggest like this; instead of keeping a target for year or two, can we fix it for quarterly or monthly or weekly (elephant task – approaching part by part instead of looking in total and get tired). I feel psychologically this will motivate and achieve towards zero.

My strong opinion is always our goal should be zero at least for accidents.
 
B

brahmaiah

#47
Achieving '0' PPM and '0'Accidents are in a way are similer.Imagine how difficult to achieve them.
V.J.Brahmaiah
 
D

dknox4

#48
It's not a question of whether accidents are considered "acceptable." When something is inevitable, it doesn't make any difference whether it's acceptable or not. When people handle heavy things, sooner or later a heavy thing will be dropped. We can mitigate the risk by requiring people to wear steel-toed shoes, and periodically check to verify that they are. In one place where I worked, audits were done by having someone walk around with a long stick with a strong permanent magnet on the end, checking peoples' shoes. That's due diligence, but it's not a perfect solution. It reduces the risk, but it doesn't eliminate it. If you can't eliminate a risk, it makes no sense to expect that a bad thing will never happen, and it also makes no sense to set a goal of something never happening when you know that sooner or later it will.
Jim,

I could not agree more with this and your earlier posts. Zero defects is a great goal, but progress to the goal can be better monitored through actions that track BEHAVIORS, such as the audit of steel toed shoes in use that you mention. Simply monitoring accident rates can drive bad behaviors (not reporting for one) and can be an indication of luck as much as good practices. IMHO, a stong monitoring system (H&S behavior audits for example) with honest review of results accompanied by goals of things "like number of risks identified and addressed with corrective actions" will be more effective in getting to a true zero accidents by driving behaviors.

Incidentally, in my earlier carrer, I worked for a small business where the owner, suspecting no steel toes, would simply step on the toe of your shoes - it was effective in driving the correct behavior!
 

Jim Wynne

Staff member
Admin
#50
But if the goal does not motivate working towards zero accidents, its no use.
Goals don't motivate anything. In order for a goal to be meaningful, there has to be a motivating factor--fear of not reaching the goal, or anticipation of some form of reward. If the culture provides for the idea that accidents are undesirable and also provides for encouragement towards avoiding them (training, awareness, etc.), and the necessary infrastructure, why would you think a goal would be useful?
 
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