BST Testifies Before Senate Subcommittee: Culture, Leadership Critical To Reducing Workplace Injuries

Washington, DC - In a recent hearing before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety, Behavioral Science Technology, Inc. (BST) testified that organizational leaders strongly influence the effectiveness of injury reduction programs through the cultures they create. Data show that safety outcomes markedly improve in companies that take a holistic approach to improvement activities that includes giving leaders an active role in safety functioning.

BST executive consultant Carmen Bianco cited results from more than 150 client sites in North America to show that companies reduce injuries more effectively with a comprehensive employee-engagement approach than with traditional safety programs alone. Companies in the study group achieved an average 25% reduction in injury rate after the first year, increasing to an average 65% improvement after five years.

"Traditional safety programs are essential but not sufficient for excellence," says BST chief operating officer Scott Stricoff. "Business systems, management decisions, and the culture as a whole all influence how effectively safety systems perform. Engaging executives, managers, and supervisors helps companies align the business to work with, not against, the safety objective."

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, work-related accidents injure more than four million workers, and cause more than 5,000 worker fatalities, every year. Workplace injuries are estimated to cost U.S. businesses in excess of $120 billion dollars annually.

The safety improvement method developed by BST treats safety improvement holistically. Companies are trained to reduce exposure in the workplace through the identification of systems issues that predispose at-risk behavior, and to create a culture in which at-risk behavior is minimized and the effectiveness of safety systems is maximized. The approach includes an exposure-reduction mechanism, predictive diagnostic tools and interventions for culture and leadership, and engages employees across levels in active safety roles.

BST's technology has been applied successfully across a range of industries, including mining, petroleum, chemical, metals, paper, food, utilities, railroads, healthcare, and government. BST also worked with NASA following the Columbia space shuttle tragedy to assess the agency's culture and recommend an intervention approach to help address the findings of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

For a copy of BST's testimony or additional information on culture, leadership, and workplace safety, contact Rebecca Nigel or visit http://www.bstsolutions.com/about/press_room.shtml.

SOURCE: Behavioral Science Technology, Inc.