Behavior-based safety got its start in industry in the late 1970s, but it's only been in the past several years that the field has really taken off. Last month in Orlando, more than 900 safety pros sold out three hotels for the opportunity to compare and contrast the approaches of leading behavioral consultants in a conference sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers. Conferences like this one are becoming increasingly popular selection tools as the number of behavioral consultants grows. No one knows just how many consultants are specialists in helping employers target, mold, and monitor behaviors that are critical to safe workplaces -- estimates run from 20 or so to possibly more than 100. What's clear is the supply of behavioral specialists is expanding to keep up with greater demand. Fifty-six percent of ISHN's White Paper survey respondents said behavior-based training will be a priority in 1998 -- up from 20 percent in 1994. There's a lot at stake when you ask a consultant to come and talk to your employees and managers about concepts such as "observing critical behaviors." Whose behaviors? Why are they critical? What will be done with the reports? Successful programs have cut injury rates significantly, but poorly planned and executed ones can hurt worker morale, trust and cooperation. So before plunking down precious budget dollars -- and investing a lot of time -- in a behavior-based safety consultant, here's what a cross-section of behavioral consultants and their clients have to say about making the best choice for your company.
Try to get a sense of how familiar a consultant is with behavioral research, adds Geller, and ask how they learned about behavior-based safety. As with hiring any type of consultant, it's important to ask about past successes and references, says David Sarkus, a behavioral consultant who holds master's degrees in both safety management and industrial psychology.