Beyond Compliance: 5 Steps to a Behavior-Based Safety Culture That Clicks

As a safety or operations manager in manufacturing, you understand that compliance checklists and warning posters only go so far to remind employees about workplace hazards and adopting safe behaviors. True safety performance comes from culture. 

Herb Kelleher, the co-founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines, is famously quoted as saying: "Culture is what people do when nobody is watching." Kelleher adopted an "employee-first" management philosophy, which stressed hiring and managing for attitude as well as skill or credentials, and trusted that employees treated well would, in turn, treat customers well. In other words, empowered employees can ignite your safety program and power your business.

There is no better way to empower employees than to put them in the front row of your safety efforts. That’s why more companies are turning to Behavior-Based Safety Observations (BBSO) as a cornerstone of their safety strategy.

The principle is simple: by observing, recording, and constructively addressing workplace behaviors, organizations can shift from reactive compliance toward proactive, engaged safety. The results are tangible. Peer-reviewed research and industry data consistently show that behavior-based safety increases worker engagement, improves communication, and reduces incidents. For example, organizations using BBS to inform safety programs report significantly stronger employee buy-in, because it connects abstract safety policies with visible, everyday actions.

But how do you actually design a BBSO program that works in your manufacturing environment, where variables like production deadlines, shift rotations, and competing priorities can get in the way? The following guide outlines five essential steps you can take to launch a successful BBSO program that provides the results leadership wants to see and and an easy-to-follow strategy that employees will support. Along the way, we’ll explore practical tips, common pitfalls, and lessons from organizations that have successfully transformed their cultures through BBS.

Step 1: Set the Stage with Clear, Measurable Goals

Every effective BBSO program begins with intent, so be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) about your goals.

“The key challenge to safety is to inspire people to be self-accountable,” said noted behavioral psychologist E. Scott Geller. “We need to transition from programs that promote other-directed accountability to ones that promote self-directed accountability.”

For example, instead of a vague goal to “improve PPE compliance,” set a target to reduce near-miss incidents related to PPE non-compliance by 20% within six months. This level of specificity not only gives the program direction but also helps employees understand what success looks like. They will know when they’re meeting program goals.

One thing is certain: Behavior-based safety works best when objectives are visible and trackable. Without a roadmap, observation programs can feel like another administrative task rather than a performance driver. The goal is to guide and inspire your employees to embrace their BBSO program right from the start. To build these objectives, start by asking:

• Which behaviors most influence injury risk in your environment?
• Where do compliance gaps most often occur (e.g., lockout/tagout, tool use, personal protective equipment (PPE), ergonomics)?
• What are your key performance metrics (KPIs) and how will improvement be measured? Are you tracking incident rates, observation counts, training completions, cultural surveys, or some or all of the above?

Clarity here creates momentum later. As your program starts meeting KPIs on a regular basis, you can create new goals to drive even more success.

Step 2: Choose the Right Observers

The effectiveness of a BBSO program hinges on the observers. Some companies restrict observations to trained safety committee members, while others open it up to all employees in a peer-to-peer system.

There are benefits and drawbacks to both approaches. Limiting observations to a select group that already has knowledge about safe work and regulations eliminates the need for training on safety basics and makes scheduling and quality control easier. However, peer-to-peer systems create far more opportunities for learning and collaboration. Employees are more likely to change behavior when feedback comes from colleagues working side-by-side rather than solely from management.

This step is where culture takes root. By enabling frontline workers to participate, you send the message that the responsibility for safety lies with everyone, not just the safety department. Research shows peer-to-peer BBS engagement improves employee ownership of safety processes and fosters proactive behavior.

“Behavior-based safety (BBS) programs promote coworkers observing and correcting each other’s at-risk behaviors on site… BBS programs are strategically devised to engage the workforce in the implementation and utilization of their own safety initiatives,” wrote the authors of the study “Effects of a behavior-based safety observation program: Promoting safe behaviors and safety climate at work.”

Here are some things to consider when selecting your observation approach:

• Manageability: Can the program support broad participation without overwhelming administrators?
• Coaching value: Will more observers translate to more learning opportunities?
• Cultural impact: Does empowering employees align with your long-term safety goals?

Step 3: Design Forms That Make Data Actionable

Management guru and the noted author of In Search of Excellence Tom Peters is widely quoted as saying, “The simple act of paying positive attention to people has a great deal to do with productivity.” It makes perfect sense: The more we are acknowledged for our safe and productive work, the more willing we are to continue those behaviors.

Observation isn’t just about looking, though. It’s about documenting observed behaviors, both good and bad, in a way that drives action. That’s why user-friendly forms are the backbone of a successful BBSO program.

The best observation forms are simple, structured, and relevant to the workplace. They should capture three things: antecedents (what led to the behavior), the behavior itself, and consequences (results of the behavior). (Find out more about Weever BBSO templates here.)

At minimum, forms should include categories like body position, PPE, tools and equipment, work environment, and adherence to procedures. Equally important, they should leave room for positive reinforcement, not just incident prevention. Celebrating what went right builds trust and encourages repeat behaviors.

At Weever, digital templates help organizations quickly tailor forms to their workflows. This is crucial to ensuring relevance across different facilities or departments.

Consistency in form design also matters. If employees see the same structure every time, they’re more likely to treat observations as part of daily operations rather than a burdensome audit. Over time, aggregated data monitoring the same observed behaviors paints a clear picture of trends, risks, and successes.

Step 4: Train to Observe, Not to Police

For years, safety professionals were tagged as “the safety police.” They were not perceived as allies; they were perceived as enemies. That attitude has changed over the years, as employees have realized that safe work protects them from life-threatening injuries and illnesses and safety professionals are their on-site coaches and cheerleaders.

Safety observers also need to be seen as coaches, not tattletales. Even the best forms won’t help your BBSP program succeed if observers aren’t equipped to use them properly. Training in how to conduct a BBS observation is essential, and it should be comprehensive but practical.

At onboarding, employees should learn what BBS is, why it matters, and how to identify critical behaviors in their specific roles. Training should also focus on how to communicate observations constructively. An effective observer doesn’t scold their coworkers. They should engage in respectful, solution-oriented dialogue. 

A lot of data can be gleaned from these discussions. For example, if an employee is observed operating a machine without engaging a guard, an observer should ask why the machine is being operated in that manner. The observer might discover the employee proactively reported a malfunctioning guard and was told by a supervisor to operate the machine without the guard. That speaks more about the shop floor culture than it does one employee’s behavior. Through the observation process, a much greater threat to safety was uncovered.

A typical training curriculum could include:

• Background about your company’s safety culture and corporate values
• Basic safety principles and what constitutes “high-risk” behaviors
• Observation and reporting procedures
• Tips on providing feedback and for honing communication skills
• Positive reinforcement techniques

Follow-up refresher sessions can keep the program fresh and allow for the BBs process to incorporate changes and updates as the system matures. This cycle of training and reinforcement builds confidence, ensuring observers can focus on behaviors without judgment.

Step 5: Observe, Analyze, and Act…On Repeat

Once training and forms are in place, the program comes alive on the shop floor and that’s where the fun begins.

The heart of any BBSO program lies in consistent, structured observations. This means scheduling regular sessions, which can be daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on your operations. You must ensure that observations cover different shifts, departments, and conditions.

Not to sound like Miss Manners, but when conducting BBS observations, there are basic etiquette steps that must be followed by observers: 

• Ask permission before observing. This is about growth, not punishment.
• Record behaviors objectively, using the form as a guide.
• Stay neutral during the observation. Provide feedback afterward.
• Open the feedback following the observation with positive observations before addressing at-risk actions.

Afterward, the real work begins. Managers should analyze patterns across reports, identify recurring risks, and create action plans. Action plans might include one-on-one follow-ups to review procedures, toolbox talks or refresher training sessions, or updating signage, visual cues, or PPE requirements.

Organizations that regularly review BBSO metrics like observation rates, participation levels, and near-miss reports are better positioned to continuously improve and maintain engagement. Digital systems like those offered by Weever make it so much easier to track, analyze, and visualize behavioral safety observations. The point is not to collect gigabytes of data that will never be used. That is just administrative overload with no payout. When that data is turned into actionable insights, however, the payoff can be huge.

Turning Observations into Ownership

A BBSO program is not a one-off initiative; it’s a living system. By repeating observations, analyzing outcomes, and feeding results back into training and communication, companies create a loop of continuous improvement.

Over time, this reinforces the idea that safety isn’t imposed from the top down, but owned by everyone. Workers become more engaged because they see the connection between their daily actions and organizational outcomes. As one safety manager described it: “Our people stopped waiting for reminders. They began reminding each other.” (Discover how one Weever client achieved over 6 million accident-free work hours by implementing programs like BBSO.)

Launching a BBSO program requires effort and patience, but the payoff is substantial. Clear objectives, empowered observers, smart forms, thoughtful training, and continuous feedback create a culture where safety is both personal and collective.

Behavior-based safety is not just about reducing incidents It’s about improving communication, trust, and accountability across the workforce. And when employees see themselves as part of the solution, performance and morale rise together.

Safety has to be everyone’s responsibility… everyone needs to know that they are empowered to speak up if there’s an issue,” said NASA astronaut Captain Scott Kelly. “No problem has ever been solved by people saying ‘Hey, let’s work apart.’ Teamwork is what allows us to accomplish our goals.”