How do workers know how to work safely? - IOSH...How do workers know how to work safely? Communication and knowledge flow in large, networked organisations and SME-micro enterprises

How do workers know how

to work safely?Communication and knowledge flow

in large, networked organisations

and SME-micro enterprises

Alistair GibbECI RAEng Professor

Papers and Articles

• Occupational safety and health and smaller

organisations: research challenges and

opportunities (2016) PPHS (Policy and Practice

in Health and Safety) http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14773996.2016.1239357

• Interdisciplinary research for occupational safety

and health knowledge, PPHS (Policy and

Practice in Health and Safety), http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14773996.2016.1235832

• Ethnographic methodologies for construction

research: knowing, practice and interventions,

Building Research & Information, 2010

• The safe hand: Gels, water, gloves and the

materiality of tactile knowing, Journal of Material

Culture, 2014

• SME–micro Engagement with Occupational

Safety and Health (OSH) – The Role of the

Owner-Manager, Proc International Conference

cib W099 - Achieving sustainable construction

health and safety, 2014, Lund, Sweden, 978-91-

7623-005-3, pp. 503-514

• Health and safety knowledge in complex

networked organisations: training the chain, Proc

International Conference cib W099 - Achieving

sustainable construction health and safety, 2014,

Lund, Sweden, 978-91-7623-005-3, pp. 50-62

• Adaptation Strategies, IOSH Magazine 2016

Books and Reports

• (2016), Occupational Safety and Health in

Networked Organisations, Institution of

Occupational Safety and health (IOSH),

176pp.- www.iosh.co.uk/networkedsystems

• (2015 in press), Engagement of micro, small

and medium-sized enterprises in occupational

safety and health, Institution of Occupational

Safety and health (IOSH), 113pp. -www.iosh.co.uk/engagingmicrosandsmes

• Health and Safety in a Changing World,

R Dingwall, S Frost - 2016

• Health and safety knowledge in networked

organisations, in Health and Safety in a

Changing World, Dingwall, R (ed), pp.85-100,

Ch 4, ISBN 978-1138225213

• Engagement of smaller organisations in

occupational safety and health, pp. 101-114,

Ch 5, in Health and Safety in a Changing

World, Dingwall, R (ed), ISBN 978-

1138225213

• Ethnographic research in the construction

industry, S Pink, D Tutt, A Dainty - 2012 -

books.google.com

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14773996.2016.1239357http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14773996.2016.1235832http://www.iosh.co.uk/networkedsystemshttp://www.iosh.co.uk/engagingmicrosandsmes

An interdisciplinary approach to OSH

knowledge flow in networked

organisations

Our Names

www.news.thomasnet.com – www.epuap.org - www.ppconstructionsafety.com

H&S

SMEs and Micro Organisations

engagement with OSH

Our Names

www.news.thomasnet.com – www.epuap.org - www.ppconstructionsafety.com

¿Project KnowHow?

¿Project KnowHow?

How do workers know how to work safely?Communication and knowledge flow in large, networked organisations



Who did the

research?

¿Project KnowHow?

Our Multi-disciplinary Research Team

Civil & Building Engineering (Construction OSH)

Alistair Gibb; Andy Dainty; Phil Bust; Wendy Jones; James Pinder;

Aoife Finneran; Elaine Yolande Gosling

Design School (Ergonomics / Human Factors)

Roger Haslam; Patrick Waterson; Mike Fray,

Business School (Psychologists)

Alistair Cheyne; Ruth Hartley; Jane Glover

Social Sciences (Ethnographers)

Sarah Pinknow RMIT; Jennie Morgan




How did we do the

research?

¿Project KnowHow?

Fieldwork – Methodology

Findings

Interview-based

Studies

Cross-sectorial

Approach

Ethnographic

Studies




What did we find?

¿Project KnowHow?




How do people turn

information into active

knowledge?

The challenge:

PERSONALh

ttps://s

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erp

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.jpg

¿Project KnowHow?

Person-Centric

OSH

Knowledge

(P-COK)

Flow Model

Mixed methods:

Human & Organisational Factors

and Ethnography

http://cdn.vectorstock.com/

©Gibb et al Loughborough University 2013

Employer Source

Channel

Enactment

Translation to Create

Knowledge

Additional

explicit

input

Additional

tacit,

subliminal

input &

influence

Membrane

Situational filter

Individual filter

Task-specific

OSH input


Employer Source

Enactment


Knowledge

Additional

explicit

input

Additional

tacit,

subliminal

input &

influence

Membrane

Situational filter

Individual filter

Task-specific

OSH inputChannelref C-HIP Conzola & Wogalter, 2001


Employer Source

Channel

Enactment


Knowledge

Additional

explicit

input

Additional

tacit,

subliminal

input &

influence

Membrane

Situational filter

Individual filter

Task-specific

OSH input


Employer Source

Channel

Enactment


Knowledge

Additional

explicit

input

Additional

tacit,

subliminal

input &

influence

Membrane

Situational filter

Individual filter

Task-specific

OSH input

. Skip Detail

Direct OSH input e.g. from the Client or

Design Team (CDM)

(maybe directed to lower managers)

Government Policy

Reports etc

HSE (High Level) Policy Docs

Industry OSH culture

What the competitors are

doing

UK Contractors Group or

equivalent Life philosophy /

religion etc

Family situation/background

Recent high-profile

incidents

Previous Educational /

Training inputs

Enactment

Explicit external

input

Tacit/subliminal

input/influence

Legal advice (e.g. corporate

manslaughter)

Social & industry network

contacts

Main task inputPrincipal Contractor

Main Board Director

responsible for OSH

SubContractor

Front-line Workers (Site-based)

©Loughborough University 2013

Main task input

Enactment

Explicit external inputTacit/subliminal

input/influence

Direct OSH input from Supervisor

Industry OSH culture

Life philosophy /

religion etc

Family situation /

background

Historical Educational/Training inputs

Social & industry network contacts (mates)

Project OSH culture

Co-worker

example

CSCS TrainingThis project induction/orientation

Recent project inductionsThis project campaigns

Witnessing

accidents

Toolbox talks

Accident claims solicitors ads

Accident insurances ads

National campaigns (esp TV/newspaper)

Trades Union RepsTrades Union Magazines etc

Company stand downs re incidentsSuppliers/manufacturers instructions

Older workers guidance/advice

Safety officer / OH professional

Own Medical Practitioner

Trade associations

Employment agency (if agency worker)

General media coverage / documentaries etc

The challenge:

ORGANISATIONALhttp

://cdn1.d

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om

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rketin

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p-c

onte

nt/u

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¿Project KnowHow?

The challenge:

NETWORKS

PC Main Board Director

responsible for OSH

PC Senior Line Manager

(Project-based)

PC Regional

Line Manager

SC Supervisor

(Project Site-based)

SC Front-line Workers

SC Line Manager

(Region or HQ)

PC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

SC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

PC Purchasing

(region or project-based)

Supplier

PC Contracts

(HQ or region-

based)

SC Main Board

Director (OSH)

Supplier Main

Board

Supplier OSH

Advisor

Possible additional

PC Intermediate Line Manager(s)

(Project-based)

Primary Explicit OSH ‘Knowledge’ Flow

Networked Organisation

(Construction)Notes

• PC=Principal Contractor

• SC=Subcontractor

• Some flows are two-way

• Many flows are also

reversible re feedback

• Dashed lines = possible

additional flows

. Skip Detail

Primary Explicit OSH ‘Knowledge’ Flow

Networked Organisation

(Construction)


responsible for OSH


(Project-based)

PC Regional

Line Manager

SC Supervisor



SC Line Manager

(Region or HQ)

PC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

SC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

PC Purchasing

(region or project-

based)

Supplier

PC Contracts

(HQ or region-

based)

Notes







additional flows

SC Main Board

Director (OSH)

Supplier

Main

Board

Supplier OSH

Advisor

Possible additional


(Project-based)

Principal Contractor

Head/Regional Office

Network


responsible for OSH


(Project-based)

PC Regional

Line Manager

SC Supervisor



SC Line Manager

(Region or HQ)

PC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

SC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

PC Purchasing

(region or project-

based)

Supplier

PC Contracts

(HQ or region-

based)

Notes







additional flows

SC Main Board

Director (OSH)

Supplier

Main

Board

Supplier OSH

Advisor

Possible additional


(Project-based)


Project-level Network


responsible for OSH


(Project-based)

PC Regional

Line Manager

SC Supervisor



SC Line Manager

(Region or HQ)

PC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

SC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

PC Purchasing

(region or project-

based)

Supplier

PC Contracts

(HQ or region-

based)

Notes







additional flows

SC Main Board

Director (OSH)

Supplier

Main

Board

Supplier OSH

Advisor

Possible additional


(Project-based)

Subcontractor

Sub-Network


responsible for OSH


(Project-based)

PC Regional

Line Manager

SC Supervisor



SC Line Manager

(Region or HQ)

PC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

SC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

PC Purchasing

(region or project-

based)

Supplier

PC Contracts

(HQ or region-

based)

Notes







additional flows

SC Main Board

Director (OSH)

Supplier

Main

Board

Supplier OSH

Advisor

Possible additional


(Project-based)

Supplier Sub-Network


responsible for OSH


(Project-based)

PC Regional

Line Manager

SC Supervisor



SC Line Manager

(Region or HQ)

PC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

SC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

PC Purchasing

(region or project-

based)

Supplier

PC Contracts

(HQ or region-

based)

Notes







additional flows

SC Main Board

Director (OSH)

Supplier

Main

Board

Supplier OSH

Advisor

Possible additional


(Project-based)

Site-based

Network


responsible for OSH

PC Senior

Line Manager

(Project-based)

PC Regional

Line Manager

SC Supervisor



SC Line Manager

(Region or HQ)

PC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

SC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

PC Purchasing

(region or project-

based)

Supplier

PC Contracts

(HQ or region-

based)

Notes







additional flows

SC Main Board

Director (OSH)

Supplier

Main

Board

Supplier OSH

Advisor

Possible additional

PC Intermediate

Line Manager(s)

(Project-based)

Site-based

Network

Subcontractor

Sub-Network

Supplier Sub-Network


responsible for OSH

PC Regional

Line Manager


PC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

SC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

PC Purchasing

(region or project-

based)

Supplier

PC Contracts

(HQ or region-

based)

Notes







additional flows

Supplier

Main

Board

Supplier OSH

Advisor

PC Senior

Line Manager

(Project-based)

Possible additional

PC Intermediate

Line Manager(s)

(Project-based)

SC Supervisor


SC Line Manager

(Region or HQ)

SC Main Board

Director (OSH)


Project-level Network


Head or Regional Office

Subcontractor

Sub-Network

Supplier

Sub-Network


responsible for OSH

PC Regional

Line Manager


PC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

SC OSH Advisor

(Region or HQ)

PC Purchasing

(region or project-

based)

Supplier

PC Contracts

(HQ or region-

based)

Supplier

Main

Board

Supplier OSH

Advisor

PC Senior

Line Manager

(Project-based)

Possible additional

PC Intermediate

Line Manager(s)

(Project-based)

SC Supervisor


SC Line Manager

(Region or HQ)

SC Main Board

Director (OSH)

Site-based

Network




But, is it really that

simple?

¿Project KnowHow?

Everybody uses workarounds!

How can we make sure that they

are safe?

Developed from Hale & Borys, Safety Science, 2013

Empower & Enable… Principle/Scenario-based training




What about SMEs

and Micros?

. Skip Trickle Down

¿Project KnowHow?

Largecontractors

Medium-sized organisations

working on their own projects

Medium-sizedorganisations

workingfor large

contractors

Very small organisations

Illegal workforce & ‘cowboy’

builders

UK Construction

© Gibb, 2013

Donaghy [2009]

Large contractors


builders

Good working practices




workingfor large

contractors


Poor working practices © Gibb, 2013

UK construction 25 years ago

Large contractors


builders





workingfor large

contractors


Poor working practices

UK construction NOW

© Gibb, 2013

Assumed

trickle

down

But, does

it REALLY

happen

Large contractors


builders





workingfor large

contractors



Realistic 2025 Target

© Gibb, 2013

Assumed

trickle

down

But does

it REALLY

happen?

Large contractors


builders





workingfor large

contractors


Poor working practices © Gibb, 2013

Assumed

trickle

down

Main 2025 challenge is with micros

. Skip Detail

Key insights: SME-Micro (OSH practices)

• SMEs and micros often develop working practices that appear to be safe in the context in which they are being applied

• Personal, tacit ways of knowing are not necessarily incompatible formalised OSH

• It might be more productive to acknowledge and seek to better understand the ways that they are complimentary

• Move to effective OSH rather than just compliance – even if the rules were the best and most appropriate rules

• Acknowledge the myriad ways that workers already do work safely and helping them make better judgements

Key insights : SME-Micro (OSH knowledge)

• SMEs and micros rely heavily on tacit sources of OSH knowledge

• A common barrier to acquiring new OSH knowledge was that the person had no perceived need for it

• Some business owners felt that further OSH information would simply be an unnecessary burden

• The nature and lack of accessibility of information can be a barrier to seeking and acquiring new OSH knowledge

• Some participants expressed a view that OSH information does not ‘flow’ to them like other forms of information

• SMEs and Micros are not just small versions of big companies

. Skip Detail

Sole trader / micro orientation

La

rge

ne

two

rke

d o

rga

nis

atio

n o

rie

nta

tio

n

Large organisation working as a network

due to size or complexity

Pretty much acting as a small version of a large firm

Formal processes (e.g. HR, OSH)

Distinct sections or departments

In-house OSH capability

‘Family’ only

One job at a time

Non-family ‘employees’

OSH acknowledged

Manager not ‘on the tools’

More than one workplace

Parallel jobs

Formal roles / separate head office /

Working as subcon on larger projects

External OSH consultant

‘Formal’ risk assessments

Lone working

How can we help people to make good

decisions?

Larger Orgs Micros

How do we help workers know how to work safely?Communication and knowledge flow in large, networked organisations and SME-micro enterprisesAlistair Gibb [[email protected]]

• Each of us processes information differently

• This is affected by both explicit and tacit factors

• In large, complex networks we need to work hard to make sure that those who may get hurt get the right message

• Focus on the ‘middle management’ gatekeepers

• Accept that turning information into knowledge is not simple

• Develop a ‘Third-Way’ understanding

• Accept that people use workarounds and find ways of managing the resulting situation

• Don’t treat micros as small versions of big firms

• Understand their strengths to address their limitations¿Project KnowHow?

How do workers know how to work safely?

Alistair Gibb

Documents

How do workers know how to work safely? - IOSH...How do workers know how to work safely? Communication and knowledge flow in large, networked organisations and SME-micro enterprises