We discipline for the behavior – NOT for the result/outcome of that behavior.
This is never more true in safety-related events. When we discipline a worker for an injury for not wearing their PPE. We just set the standard for NOT WEARING PPE! So the next time a worker fails to wear their prescribed PPE, regardless of whether they were injured, the discipline is the same for the worker who was injured.
Do we want to set a standard of discipline in the journey to safety excellence?
Accountability is a necessary element in establishing a culture of safety; however, too much emphasis on holding those closest to the risk more accountable for their ACTIVE FAILURES than those farther away from the risks and their LATENT ORGANIZATIONAL FAILURES is no way to build trust and credibility in the safety efforts.
For example:
