Improving compliance with safety rules and procedures

We all know that adherence to rules and procedures is critical in maintaining safety at work, especially in high-risk industries where the dynamic and the complex nature demands strict compliance. Rules and policies are put in place to avoid hazardous conditions or undesirable outcomes. However, the recurring conclusion from accident investigations consistently highlight ‘failure to follow rules’ as a common contributing factor. This begs the question: Why don’t employees always follow the rules?

Understanding the underlying factors that contribute to employee rule-breaking is crucial for organisations to effectively address and mitigate such behaviour. This means going beyond simply labelling employees as ‘bad apples’ and instead delving into the complex interplay of individual, organisation, and external factors.

Why don’t employees always follow safety rules and procedures?

There are a number of reasons employees may not follow safety rules and procedures – some of these are intentional, some unintentional.

In some cases, remembering and complying with complex safety rules can require substantial cognitive effort and involve multiple competing demands and situational constraints. In the workplace, safety is not always the sole priority for employees. Balancing safety with productivity goals can create conflicts, as adherence to established procedures may result in significant work delays and increased operational costs. This pressure to deviate from safe work practices arises when compliance becomes an obstacle to meeting production schedules or when it incurs high operational expenses. In other words, having the motivation and knowledge to act safely does not automatically guarantee compliance with externally mandated safety rules.

Employee violations of rules and procedures can also occur unintentionally when individuals are confused or lack sufficient knowledge about the regulations and protocols in place. Some features of rules and procedures that can increase the likelihood of unintentional non-compliance include:

• Too many rules or procedures to remember
• Too complex
• Poorly written (e.g., uses jargons, contains errors, unclear, vague)
• Providing too much or too little information
• Difficult to access

What can you do to improve safety compliance?

There are several strategies you can employ to improve compliance with safety rules and procedures.

1. Enhancing Employee Training Opportunities

Since some rule breaking can stem from a lack of knowledge, equipping employees with the necessary know-how can empowers them to engage in safety compliance activities more effectively. Furthermore, acquiring knowledge leads to a sense of mastery, which plays a crucial role in developing self-efficacy, and research has shown that individuals are more likely to comply with rules and procedures when they have confidence in their abilities.

To ensure that employees have the resources they need, employers should prioritise the availability of information and training opportunities. This can be achieved through formal training, conducting demonstrations, and offering hands-on opportunities for skill development. By prioritising these training opportunities, organisations bolster their employees’ competence in adhering to safety protocols.

2. Regular Monitoring and Adaptation of Rules and Procedures

Effective management of rules in any system must address the challenges posed by diversity and exceptions. While rules and procedures capture the organisation’s learning about operational risks, it is impossible to anticipate and cover every potential hazard or accident scenario.  In situations where a prescribed procedure may not be applicable, employees may feel more tempted to violate or modify it. Thus, it is important that organisations continually monitor the gap between procedures and the actual realities of the work environment, constantly adapt procedures to local conditions, and bridge any gaps that may exist.

Instead of suppressing violations, organisations should revise procedures when patterns of non-compliance emerge. The goal should be to foster a culture of flexibility and adaptability while maintaining a focus on safety and risk management, recognising the limitations of procedures and embracing a continuous improvement mindset.

3. Learning-Oriented Responses

Leaders play a crucial role in promoting good practice and ensuring compliance with procedures within an organisation. By treating instances of non-compliance as opportunities for feedback and learning, leaders can adopt a positive approach to managing procedure violations. Effective communication and constructive feedback regarding non-compliance can facilitate individual learning and development. This approach can result in favourable perceptions of procedures and foster increased motivation and intention to comply in the future.

Furthermore, feedback and individual learning contribute to the overall organisational learning process and encourages open communication and positive error management throughout the organisation. By creating an open and positive culture where poor compliance with procedures is seen as an opportunity for learning rather than blame or reprimand, this mindset permeates the entire organisation.

In conclusion, there are various reasons that contribute to employee non-compliance behaviours. It is imperative for leaders to ensure that employees receive adequate training, actively monitoring and adapting rules and procedures to align with the realities of work environments. Supervisors also play a crucial leadership role in managing feedback and fostering learning when it comes to rules and procedures. By fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, organisations can enhance employee engagement in safety protocols.

By Jie Yi Tang