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Taking The Next Step - A Behavioral Approach Towards Safety

Reinauer is committed to safety. It’s evidenced throughout all levels of the company in training, policies, procedures, operations, and of course Reinauer’s strong safety record. In order to continually improve in safety, Reinauer must constantly analyze its current programs, make adjustments, improvements and fine-tune the system. Occasionally, a new program or system is implemented to further foster the development of continuing safe and low-incidence operations within the company.

Largely unprecedented within the tug and barge industry is the application of behavioral science in safety which is more commonly known as Behavior Based Safety, or BBS. BBS is a safety process based upon managing the safety of employees by pinpointing specific behaviors and focusing on doing them safely. It stems from the science of applied behavior analysis: basically, the study of human behavior. The background idea is that the majority of incidents are caused by at-risk behaviors rather than unsafe conditions or environmental factors. By focusing on specific at-risk behaviors and engaging personnel, we can effectively improve safety. To do so, we target behaviors which may be an issue and replace these behaviors with safe habits.

Through a system of positive reinforcement and feedback, safe behavior is strengthened in all operations. It’s about creating an environment where everyone actively cares about their fellow employees and associates. There are probably times when employees have seen an unsafe act and let it continue; this is something we want to expel from the workplace. Even when there is not much commonality among incidents, by engaging employees in a culture of safety, we can still improve safety, eventually reducing the numbers.

Imagine the crew discussed all of the behaviors that put each other at risk and focused on turning all of those at-risk behaviors into safe habits; almost all injuries and incidents could be avoided – this is the ultimate goal of BBS. To help preserve the integrity of the program, data submitted is anonymous – no name/no blame; data is used solely for the purposes of tracking and ensuring improvement. It’s about being positive and removing negativity from the workplace.

After much research and development in conjunction with input from the fleet, Reinauer is beginning to unveil its initial behavioral observation program. Thus far, a basic observationprogram has been established on several vessels. The feedback from the crews is very positive and it’s clear they are embracing the concept as we continue to enhance safety onboard. Reinauer’s program is employee designed and employee driven; having had personal design meetings with crews onboard the vessels to ensure the program is well suited for the fleet. When you utilize this type of development, buy-in is automatic and engagement is high. It’s exactly what the crew’s want because they are the ones who have helped build it. While Reinauer has always been safety centric, it is now more than ever that safety is being built into the process of everything that we do. This is proven through Reinauer leading the industry with low incident and injury rates. BBS is just another way to continue to improve upon the exemplary work that is already being done at Reinauer – that is, in all aspects of safety, only the highest level of quality in our work, and to continue the tradition of environmental stewardship.