Defining Accountability

Too often, a well-designed, creative safety plan,do not use the OSHA Total Case Incident Rate
once developed and implemented, does not(TCIR) OSHA incident rates (OIR) as a
create the culture necessary for themeasurement tool. Use the TCIR or the OIR is
accomplishment of the company vision. Why?counterproductive. It will force management to
Often times, the organizational culture did notwork to a number without regard to the specific
include a tight (specific) accountability system,activities.
holding managers and supervisors accountable forIdentify mandatory and optional activities that
the completion of assigned safety responsibilities.managers and supervisors can select to complete
Simply stated: What gets measured gets done? Intheir list of safety objectives. Align any part of
Dan Petersen's Safety by Objective book, hethe merit compensation to the successful
added one caveat, "What gets measured, andcompletion of these selected safety activities. For
rewarded, gets done". Managers and supervisorsexample, you can identify a specific number of
must be positively recognized for effectivelyactivities. Each manager and supervisor can pick
completing assigned safety responsibilities, whileand choose the ones that they are comfortable
substandard performance should be dealt withwith. As time goes by and the system is working
accordingly.as intended, activities can be changed to meet
These responsibilities should be treated as anythe need.
other types of performance expectation and notDevelop a measurement system that assists with
handled as a separate function. Separating thesethe tracking of related activities on a periodic
actives from other "routine" production andbasis.
related activities will lessen the value thatPeriodically review the manager"s performance
management places on the completion of specificagainst the stated objectives, recognize
activities. A few suggested methods to assistsatisfactory performance, and intervene in
with accountability include the following:substandard performance.
Make sure that each member of managementOf course, the above list should look familiar, as
has specific safety objectives (activities) outlinedperformance, measurement includes the basic
in their annual performance appraisalmanagement axiom of "Plan, Do, Check, Act".
(accountability contract). It is important that you