What is behavioural safety?
Behavioural safety is an approach to workplace health and safety that focuses on the actions, attitudes, and decisions of individuals at all levels of an organisation. Rather than relying solely on systems, policies, or technical controls; behavioural safety aims to understand and influence the everyday behaviours that contribute to safe or unsafe outcomes.
It typically involves:
- Observing behaviours in the workplace
- Providing feedback to reinforce safe actions or correct unsafe ones
- Encouraging personal responsibility and accountability
- Creating a positive safety culture where everyone feels engaged and empowered
The core idea is that most accidents are caused not just by unsafe conditions, but by unsafe behaviours. By changing behaviour, you can significantly reduce risk, improve compliance, and strengthen overall safety performance.
What are the 7 steps of a behaviour-based safety (BBS) process?
The Health and Safety Authority defines a BBS approach3 as one which:
- Identify behaviours that can be problematic such as unsafe or risky behaviours.
- Determine the root cause of the identified behaviours.
- Create possible corrective actions.
- Evaluate corrective actions.
- Develop the necessary processes to carry out the BBS program.
- Implement the BBS program.
- Evaluate the data gathered from the BBS program and check whether it solved the problem or increased safe behaviours.
5 questions every leader should ask to strengthen safety culture
1. Do my actions reflect the importance of safety?
As a leader, you should set the tone. If safety isn’t visibly prioritised at the top, it won’t be taken seriously elsewhere. Ask whether your daily decisions, language, and behaviour consistently reinforce safety as a core value.
2. Are we listening to frontline workers?
The people closest to the risks often have the best insights. Create regular, structured opportunities for employees to speak up about safety concerns and ensure their feedback is acted upon.
3. Are we recognising and reinforcing safe behaviours?
Safety isn’t just about preventing what goes wrong. It’s also about acknowledging what’s going right. Ask how your team celebrates safe practices and whether positive reinforcement is part of the culture.
4. Do we respond to incidents by learning, not blaming?
A blame-free culture encourages honesty and continuous improvement. When incidents occur, focus on understanding root causes rather than assigning fault. This builds trust and drives lasting change.
5. Are we measuring what matters?
Traditional lagging indicators like injury rates are important, but aren’t enough on their own. Ask whether you’re also tracking leading indicators, such as near misses, observations, and employee engagement, to get ahead of risk.
Technology’s role in behavioural safety
Artificial intelligence
AI-powered cameras and computer vision tools can monitor behaviours in real time, identifying issues such as missing PPE or unsafe actions and sending immediate alerts to correct them. Meanwhile, predictive analytics uses behavioural and environmental data to anticipate risks before they lead to incidents, enabling early intervention.
Wearable technology
Smart helmets and vests are able to track measurables such as fatigue, posture, and proximity to hazards, providing real-time feedback to workers and feeding data into analytics platforms for targeted safety coaching.
Virtual and augmented reality
One of the biggest advantages of VR and AR training is the ability to simulate dangerous situations without any real-world risk. Employees can practice their response to emergencies like fires, chemical spills, or machinery malfunctions in a controlled, virtual environment.
