Management systems require clearly written procedures that are fit for their purpose of controlling all aspects of safety. However, there is a great difference between having excellent procedures on paper and having procedures that are understood and applied consistently and conscientiously by all staff. There is a need for balance in the number and extent of procedures. They should identify and address the main risks and be intelligible and relevant to those using them. In particular, the rules and procedures, reinforced by training, need to bring out clearly to the workforce the reasons for particular requirements, since only then will the procedures pass the test of relevance required by the operator if he or she is to be fully committed to their use. In other words, employees’ perceptions of risk must be such that the requirements placed upon them are seen to be necessary and relevant. Shortcuts or “workarounds” will begin to be practiced if procedures are not valued. This could lead to further degradation of safety standards. Working around a requirement that is not a prime safety requirement can quickly lead to a culture in which even vital and fundamental safety procedures are no longer viewed as sacrosanct.
