Safety has a tendency to find all kinds of acronyms to serve as catchy bywords. Take for instance the “Three C’s” of safety. This trio—compliance, competence, and commitment—furnish a catch-all category that encompasses the root causes of all injuries and accidents. Each C is equally necessary. It’s like a 3-legged stool. One weak leg can cause the stool to fail.
If we think of compliance as conformity to OSHA rules and regulations, then we pose for ourselves a daunting goal—we task ourselves with satisfying everything OSHA expects of our industry. Still, setting the bar high has its advantages. We quickly recognize the benefit of accreditation and training in all facets of the work. Settling for minimum requirements will produce minimum results. A good training program will (and should) be above and beyond the minimum training requirements. Higher standards in training produce higher performance on the job and better results. Those are the facts.
[Side note—I still frequently hear the statement “That was a freak accident!” To which I frequently retort, “as opposed to a planned accident?” A better description would be unforeseen outcome vs. predictable outcome. Even so, the best of minds cannot predict unsafe acts. The variables in our industry fluctuate too often, vis a vis, weather, personnel, and training.]
There can even be 100 percent compliance and accidents can still occur. Pilots can attest to that fact due to weather anomalies, etc. The fact remains; we cannot predict all accidents.
We can, however, do a much better job at training. Command, Apply, Monitor, and Enforce. C.A.M.E. This principle is almost catchy, as can be said of many acronyms of the multitude our industry uses.
Our industry loves acronyms. It is usually easier if you have catchy phrases to help jog the memory. Yet all the catchy acronyms are worthless if not applied, monitored, or enforced.
“Command” deals with the training of what is expected. The training must be clear and must be conveyed on the employees’ level of comprehension. Big flowery safety jargon and acronyms do not ensure comprehension.
Next is the “Apply” part, which does require immediate guidance and observation of proper job safety procedures, as well as the “how and why” it is supposed to be done in a very specific way. It should not include shortcuts, deviations, or time constraints. A trained supervisor or employee should observe the proper policy, procedure, and completion of said task. Once the employee fully understands and can exhibit said procedure, he is trained.
Now the real-world seeps in. He knows the task, he knows how to perform the task, and has shown comprehension on how maintain the standard.
After 30-60-90 days, you can certify him, give him a raise, or just give him a slap on the back for a good job. At this point most supervisors or trainers give the okay that he heard, understood, and acknowledged that he was trained. Here arrives the interval in which most accidents happen. Everyone knows that he went through all of the training. So, from that point he’s good to go, in that position, right? Wrong.
Human nature being what it is, we can be assured that there will be employees who, despite having been taught the rules precisely and having been assigned practice in following them, will have lapses in their adherence to those rules. Everyone has fudged on proper procedures. Human nature always seeks a faster, “better,” and easier way. When I am being called in as a professional witness regarding safety, I will stand by that statement before lawyers, judges, or anyone. Everyone at one time or another has taken individual exception to a rule or law, whether intentionally, unknowingly or inadvertently.
Finally, my focus is on the last word in the title—Commitment. Here is where we separate the pretenders and contenders.
When I am in the field doing inspections, I look for good and bad habits. It takes a certain kind of person to teach, encourage, and COMMIT to trying to genuinely make the work environment safe for all. Ninety-nine percent of the safety men and women are committed to safety. I’m encouraged by the younger safety professionals coming up in the ranks—especially the ones involved with American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). They truly are professionals. If you get the commitment, you are on your way to success. Compliance? That’s required. Competence? That’s a goal. But Commitment? That’s a way of life.
It is not how many hits you have in baseball that makes people great! It is how many reach home safely that wins the World Series.
Oil and gas safety practices employ memorable phrases such as the “Three C’s” and other acronyms.
Dusty Roach is a safety professional based in Midland. He is also a public speaker on subjects of leadership and safety, and he maintains a personal website at dustyroach.com.
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