30th November 2021 | 5min read

Ethos recently provided on-site safety training and safety coaching for Wood operated Sage Terminal at St Fergus Gas Plant.

The objective of the project was to strengthen the safety culture with a focus on coaching site leadership.

Our Approach

Ethos always seeks to develop safety culture through focusing on three key aspects: beliefs, behaviours, and organisational factors. Before we look at behaviours, we take the time to talk with people so we can understand what people think and how they feel about the safety performance at site. We also observe and review systems and structures that could shape safety performance. In doing so, we simultaneously build trust and establish a deeper picture of the safety culture within the organisation. Then we can look at supporting people in the obstacles they face.

To achieve the objectives, we:

• Conducted One-to-One Safety Leadership Coaching sessions
• Observed key meetings and provided coaching feedback
• Visited site with site leadership to coach effective visible leadership
• Toolbox talks coaching focusing on effective communication and engagement.
• Rolled out safety training refresher workshops
• Conducted Safety Tours and on-site safety coaching

Outcome

During the time Ethos Safety Coaches spent on-site they were able to support all Safety Leaders in their effort to be more visible in their leadership and to coach teams on how to have successful safety conversations.

The collaborative effort saw the amount of Safety Observation cards submitted increased by nearly 50%, most of the success coming from an increase in positive behaviours being recognised.

Safety Leadership Coaching also resulted in a steady increase of time on site for Senior leaders and supervisors. On top of this confidence and performance in several key areas agreed on at the start of the project.

Why was it successful?

There was a conscious decision to focus on safety training and coaching directly at the worksite. This allowed for a more personalised approach to learning, supporting individuals and teams rather than classrooms full of personnel. Having a dedicated Ethos Coach on-site also provided leaders with support on-demand as-and-when challenges were faced.

The safety training and coaching was for everyone. It did not matter if you were a contractor, supervisor, chef, or manager. The result of which strengthened the personal responsibility for safety and one-team dynamic already present at site.

No new initiatives: Ethos safety coaches added no extra paperwork or pocket guides that clutter most people’s pockets. Instead, they added value to the initiatives already in existence through development of knowledge and soft skills.

Sustainability – Our safety coaches passed on skills to key personnel that would champion continual improvement long after Ethos left site.