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How to do it? Case Study!
At a 70-year-old legacy operations site, with generations of experience etched into its walls and workflows, change is never easy. Yet today, a new leadership team has embarked on a mission that could redefine the organisation’s future: a journey toward safety culture maturity, not as a compliance checklist but as a cornerstone of operational excellence. This is more than a program or initiative; it’s a transformation. For employees who have long been the backbone of operations, this shift calls not just for participation but for partnership.
Safety as a Pillar of Operational Excellence
Safety isn’t a bolt-on—it’s a built-in. True operational excellence integrates safety into every aspect of performance: productivity, quality, maintenance, planning, and people management. A mature safety culture doesn’t just prevent incidents; it fosters trust, accountability, and resilience. When safety is treated as a shared value and not just a metric, it lifts the entire organisation.
The Legacy Challenge: Resistance, Role Ambiguity, and Risk Normalisation
In legacy plants, employees have long operated in familiar ways. There’s pride in past success, but also habits that may not align with modern expectations. Many team members are unclear about what the new safety culture means for them. Are they supposed to lead? Report? Speak up? Train others? The uncertainty often leads to resistance, inertia, or silence. Without clarity, even the most experienced hands can feel unsure of their place in the journey.
How to Be a Willing Partner: From Compliance to Commitment
1. Individual Level: Owning the Change
- Ask yourself, “What does safety excellence look like in my job today?”
- Take initiative to report hazards, near misses, and improvement ideas.
- View safety as part of your professional identity, not a management imposition.
2. Team Level: Creating a Culture of Trust
- Support your peers in following procedures and embracing new practices.
- Encourage team safety talks, peer observations, and shared accountability.
- Speak up with respect and courage when something doesn’t look right.
3. Communication: Don’t Assume, Ask and Align
- Clarify your role and responsibilities in the new safety culture with your supervisor.
- Request training or coaching if unsure of expectations.
- Provide feedback upwards—leadership needs to know what’s working and what isn’t.
What Leadership Must Provide: The Enablers of Cultural Transformation
A. Organisational Enablers
- A clear and compelling vision: “Why are we doing this now?”
- Alignment of rewards, metrics, and recognition with safe behaviours.
- Consistent communication that safety is a value, not just a KPI.
B. Leadership Style and Presence
- Visible felt leadership: Leaders who walk the floor, listen, and engage.
- Flattened hierarchies in safety discussions to encourage open dialogue.
- Shift from blame to learning: Focus on systems and improvements.
C. Systems, Tools, and Processes
- Revise SOPs and JSAs to reflect current realities, with input from workers.
- Introduce user-friendly reporting systems and safety dashboards.
- Deliver training that goes beyond rules to build judgement and capability.
D. Role Clarity and Structure
- Define roles using RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) frameworks.
- Equip supervisors to coach, not just control.
- Develop role-specific safety performance indicators.
The Maturity Model: Understanding the Path Ahead
Cultural change isn’t instant. Most sites progress through stages—from reactive (“safety is someone else’s job”) to proactive (“we own safety”) and eventually generative (“safety is how we do business”). Understanding this maturity path helps employees and leaders measure progress and stay patient through setbacks.
Illustration: Safety Culture Maturity Ladder
| Maturity Level | Characteristics | Employee Role | Leadership Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reactive | Safety after incidents, blame-oriented | Follow rules, avoid punishment | Enforce compliance |
| Calculative | Safety systems in place, box-ticking mindset | Perform tasks as prescribed | Audit, control, and measure |
| Proactive | Anticipate risks, shared ownership | Actively identify and mitigate risks | Empower and coach |
| Generative | Safety is embedded in all activities | Internalise safety values, innovate safely | Inspire, align culture, role model |
Call to Action: Build the Culture You Want to Work In
Employees aren’t just implementers of change—they’re builders of it. The choice to be a willing partner starts with curiosity, commitment, and courage. Don’t wait for others. Ask yourself: “What will I do differently today to make safety part of how we succeed together?”
Conclusion: The Legacy Is Yours to Shape
This journey is an invitation—to move from the comfort of routine to the challenge of transformation. With aligned leadership, clear expectations, and willing employees, even the most entrenched cultures can evolve. Safety isn’t a side road to excellence. It is the road.
Karthik
1/6/25 11am.
Health, Environment, Safety, Sustainability (HESS) 