Page 64 - Serious Incident Prevention How to Achieve and Sustain Accident-Free Operations in Your Plant or Company

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42 Serious Incident Prevention

ments. Management’s full understanding of the potential consequences as-
sociated with maintaining large on-site LPG inventories was a prerequisite
for change. Once educated, management readily became the driving force
in assuring that needed changes were made.
The breakthrough improvement in reducing LPG inventory illustrates
the importance of keeping management informed, and the power of an in-
formed management team in helping make difficult changes a reality. Too
often, safety professionals share information with each other, but not with
the key members of line management who can provide the resources and
support needed to implement changes.

Achieving a Common Focus

Effective leaders work to achieve a shared vision within the organiza-
tion. Documenting and communicating key objectives helps the organiza-
tion keep its eye on the right ball. The tendency to be distracted by hot
trends is minimized. The effect of such distractions is illustrated by com-
ments from a manager for a Midwestern equipment manufacturer:

In the past 18 months, we have heard that profit is more important than rev-
enue, that quality is more important than profit, that people are more im-
portant than profit, that customers are more important than our people, that
big customers are more important than small customers, and that growth is
the key to our success. No wonder our performance is inconsistent. 7

Achievement of a common focus requires strong linkage between orga-
nizational units. Linkage is facilitated through ensuring that each unit’s mis-
sions, vision, performance measures, and improvement projects support
those of other organizational units that are dependent upon performance.
Sustaining a common focus throughout the organization requires a
number of management actions. Effective communications are critical to
ensure that overall company direction, measures, goals, and objectives are
understood. Communications must be sufficiently in-depth to ensure that
employees understand the fundamental business principles driving com-
pany initiatives. As adjustments in direction are made, the changes must be
effectively communicated to all.
A system of accountability helps ensure the right actions are imple-
mented to support key organizational initiatives. This is the critical “Check”
step of the “Plan-Do-Check-Act” improvement cycle. Periodic management
reviews of the mission, vision, measures, goals, and improvement projects de-
veloped by subordinate teams can be an effective part of the accountability