By incorporating high reliability principles into how work is conducted, our Canadian business unit continues to mature the safety mindset for both leadership and front-line workers. A key element of the effort is a cultural shift toward accountability instead of blame, shifting our focus from discussions after incidents to pre-accident learning.
This includes being curious and constantly looking for weak signals in order to evolve systems so our workers can function in a complex and highly variable environment. It requires leaders to develop a culture of transparency, with a focus on lessons learned. This shift is highlighted by the 20 learning teams who assessed inherent risks and reviewed upcoming work in 2017, elevating chronic unease and creating awareness to ensure defenses are in place prior to execution. The teams focus on culture (leadership and safety values), key behaviors (organizational learning, reaction to failure, and sharing), and key structures (tools needed for work).
The use of data analytics helps identify weak signals, further enhancing a proactive, instead of reactive, approach to work planning. A foundation of deliberate execution, an intentional focus on mindful change, and maintaining an element of chronic unease are the cornerstones being used to become a high reliability organization (HRO).