In any conversation in the United Kingdom about behavioural safety, the names Dominic Cooper and B-Safe are likely to crop up sooner or later. Dominic has made this topic, along with the complementary subjects of safety culture and safety leadership, his main business for more than 20 years.

He is therefore the ideal person to write an easy guide to behavioural safety, and this book is that guide. Written in an easy-to-understand style and illustrated with numerous figures, many of which are in colour, the book sets out to explain everything you need to know about behavioural safety and how to make it work.

Not only is this book for the newcomer, it is also for those who are already involved in behavioural safety and want a more in-depth understanding of the priniciples, or a wider knowledge of certain aspects.

The initial chapters set out the reasons for bothering with behavioural safety, supported by various practical examples. Chapter 3 contains balanced arguements about whether to use professional support, or go it alone.

Each chapter starts with an example, usually one that did not quite go right, and then uses that scenario to explain the correct way of dealing with that particular issue. The middle section of the book takes the complete behavioural safety process and explains each part in detail, starting with these underlying principles:

• Clarify the objectives
• Locate the problems
• Execute the change strategy
• Assess current progress; and
• Review and adapt.

These topic areas are explored further in the subsequent chapters; each topic is described in detail, with explanations of how the same thing can be done in a variety of different ways. A key benefit of this book is that it describes various methods rather than sticking to just one.

Chapter 9 discusses the importance of continued performance to maintain the behavioural safety intiative. The next two chapters take slightly different perspectives on implementing the process in multi-site operations, and for short-term maintenance projects.

Though the book is written from an American perspective, using mainly American examples, it translates easily to the UK and other countries. Indeed, the final chapter of case histories uses British as well as US examples.

Overall, this book is a very useful first introduction to behavioural safety, and a good reference book for those already involved to varying degrees in the topic.

Nick Cornwall-Smith, The Safety & Health Practitioner, UK.

List Price: $59.99

Product Details
Hardcover: 230 pages
Publisher: BSMS; 1st edition (September, 22, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0-9842039-0-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-9842039-0-1
Product Dimensions: 9.0 x 6.0 x 0.8 inches

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B-Safe Management Solutions Inc
6648 East State Road 44
Franklin, IN 46131, USA

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