This is an article from Intertek Consulting and Training Consultant Jonnie Martin on his take on Safety Coaching and how it can support a positive safety culture. Jonnie has completed many coaching projects in High Hazard industries during his time with Intertek and shares some of experience in this article.

1. The Reflective Safety Coach
Jonathan Martin
Intertek Consulting & Training
Safety Coach / Consultant
February 2014
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2. Reflective Safety Coach
The Reflective Safety Coach
The title safety coach is a familiar term within the Oil & Gas industry and has been around for a number of
years. After flattening the curve of fatalities and serious injuries through the last three decades of legislation
and management systems, the safety coach is often identified as a person who is well equipped to operate
in the present era of Behavioural Based Safety. The term Safety Coach has grown to be used in a number of
different ways to describe not only a dedicated role but also:
as a specialist in operations such as drilling
to define a set of soft skills for management and supervision
as an alternative or replacement title for Safety Advisor.
Each one is valid and I have witnessed some truly excellent coaches working in the offshore industry.
The point of this article is to throw some light on the safety coaching I have been involved in as a Consultant,
focussing upon the human aspect of safety rather than skill or knowledge based coaching. I have used the
term Reflective Safety Coach to highlight that our expertise is heavily reliant upon learning what’s actually
happening in that client’s particular situation and to continue learning as things progress. To learn effectively
you need to be able to reflect and build a sound, objective picture of your client and the context you are
operating in as it will be unique and dynamic. We immerse ourselves into “how it is to be in that situation”,
for example if we feel apprehensive or find it hard to understand how things work, then it’s likely that others
will feel similar too.
Safety Culture
Of all the coaching assignments I have completed, the clients’ requirements have either directly or indirectly
included working to improve safety culture. My first career was making airframe components for an
aerospace company. Life was straight forward, every dimension had to be within + or – 0,25mm. If it was
within tolerance you carry on, if it was outside tolerance then the component became costly scrap. That was
an engineering life, rules, laws, calculations and measures – inputs and outputs, similar to construction,
similar to Oil & Gas. Over the past two decades this has become a given and in today’s world there is an
expectation for all of us to be competent in what we do.
The emphasis now is firmly on How, not just about how the job is done – we have procedures, specific ways
to do the task and often a wealth of knowledge. The How is much bigger than this, how people function with
one another, how they operate, what are the assumptions and expectations with one another – “how it
really works around here” which is culture. Specifically it is understanding the Safety Culture and the level of
maturity of each site/platform/rig/vessel or organisation. The safety coach is well placed to observe and
understand this.
So Why is Safety Culture so Important?
Even though we have the legislation, management systems, tools and PPE, incidents still creep in under the
radar almost as if they are invisible and often come out of the blue. So how can this be, when we have
everything sewn up with safety and competent people carrying out tasks? It’s back to how people are doing
things and this is a big shift for the industry as success in the past in reducing incidents has been driven by
the domains of engineering and management sciences. Today the solution has to include the domain of the
social sciences.
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3. Reflective Safety Coach
So What is a Safety Coach?
There are a number of ways a safety coach can aid the progress and improvement of safety performance
promoting a proactive safety culture. First we must understand what a safety coach does in their role
offshore.
Each assignment I have experienced has been unique in its aim and outcomes; however, there are common
features, skills, values and attributes used to gain successful outcomes through coaching.
What does a Safety Coach Do?
As with all words, the word “coach” will come to you with your own individual perception, meaning and
feelings firmly attached from experiences and understanding. So let’s take a step back to gain a better
insight into the whole role. How about thinking in terms of the tasks that a coach is involved in? Let’s break it
down, first you need to be an Observer, (watching interactions on an installation and picking up subtle
behaviours). Then a Thinker (reflecting on your observations, interactions and comparing it to “What great
looks like” leading to where gaps exist). Also an Interviewer, (having short and regular 1:1’s and 1: group
conversations to build an understanding of “how it is” and asking powerful questions of them).
All the above are key skills of any coach and in themselves don’t make an effective coach. What has to be
present are the underpinning, unshakable values that the coach has to consistently operate by:
The coach has to respect and first fully understand the other persons’ view of their world.
Understand that sustainable behavioural change is only achievable by challenging individual’s
current mindset and creating the will to change.
Believe that people have the ability and resource to provide their own solutions
The coach themselves has to behave consistently and model behaviour that is desired in the Safety
Culture.
The coach has to accept that they themselves are part of the coaching process which includes an
element of challenge and uncertainty.
Noticing the Gaps
Through observation and interaction in the workplace coaches can build up a picture of the way things are
and the gaps that exist in crews’ effectiveness in safety and performance. This is best achieved when a
picture of the whole operation, including relationships with contractors and clients is understood.
Observation is not only about watching others but also includes what the coach experiences, reflecting and
making sense of what happens to them as part of the whole operation. For example on an one project,
safety drills were arranged for Sunday mornings which alternated between a muster with survival bag and
lifeboat drill. I settled into this routine quite quickly until one Sunday morning I arrived at the muster to see
everyone else with full PPE and coveralls. There I stood with bright orange survival bag feeling like I’d arrived
at an Elvis Party - dressed as an Elve!
Beyond my personal embarrassment that I’d “missed something” was the more important issue of how
people instantly and unconsciously reacted to this situation and its indication of safety culture. Were they
rolling their eyes and tutting at the safety man for getting it wrong again; or were they inclusively discussing
“how did we miss this?”. These are different responses that contrast two very different safety cultures, a
result that no safety culture questionnaire could achieve.
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4. Reflective Safety Coach
Working to Reduce Barriers
Gaps are likely to exist at different levels, for example the use of a management system that is not fully fit
for purpose, a permit system that is not used as intended, cultural differences that are not considered or
understood and cause frustration and control in operations. The gaps identify where the crew currently are
and more importantly where they need to get to.
It is only when understanding, respect, trust and rapport between the coach and coachee that coaching can
begin to be effective. In my experience, identifying the gaps and where you want to get to as an
organisational goal is the easy bit because believing that you will not encounter resistance along the way is a
little naïve. You will find many individuals and groups will resist change and although they may even share
achieving the goal, they will identify a number of barriers to keep them firmly where they are. “You’ll never
change things”, It’s all money, they’ll never stop the job for safety”. So the next step is exploring the barriers
that they perceive exist, establishing how real these are and working to lower or eliminate them. From this
there needs to be a way forward for each individual contained within their own coaching plan.
The Coaching Plan
It’s important to say here that each plan will be unique to the individual based upon their strengths,
weaknesses and where they are. It may a number of actions that include personal and professional
development but in this article we will focus on the coaching approach and how to support the individual to
move forwards through their own initiative. First there are the limiting beliefs that exist, restraining
behaviours that keep them firmly stuck in the present. “If you rock the boat, you’ll get run off! You can’t
challenge them on safety”.
Secondly there is the limiting language used which reinforces what they do at the moment and closes down
any new possibilities. Although we often speak without thinking, words are powerful in the way we
understand our world - think of the word “coach” earlier. Absolute words such as never, always, everyone,
nobody which if unchallenged create generalisations used to maintain limiting beliefs and reinforce negative
habits.
Conversations with individuals to fully understand their world is key to building rapport, empathy and trust.
But inevitably there will be areas which contain assumptions and generalisations, creating barriers to future
possibilities and solutions. Focussing on assumptions and generalisations by paraphrasing some of these
back to them shows that as a coach you are listening and understand their point of view, (like holding up a
mirror). Once a common understanding of “how it is” is acknowledged the coach can then unpick some of
the limiting language and challenge through questioning, for example – “you say it never happens?” This
helps them to think and reflect about exceptions and begin to change their own perception of reality.
Breaking Through
Acknowledging that it may happen sometimes, mostly or rarely changes their perception by breaking the
barrier of a generalisation, to a clearer understanding and allowing further questioning. It in turn allows
them with the coach to look at possibilities in what could be done in approaching problems, relationships
and providing solutions. It’s essential that solutions come from them, no matter how tempting it is for the
coach to tell or provide readymade solutions. Going down this road will only take away responsibility for
their actions and project any failure onto the coach as a scapegoat if they should fail.
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5. Reflective Safety Coach
So Who do you Start With?
Imagine picking your bag up on the helideck at the beginning of your hitch, the message has repeatedly been
stressed to take care keep a hand on the handrail and yet you see a relief Manager race down the steps a
bag in each hand! What’s the message? How many others witness this and in turn how many does witnesses
tell? How hard would it be to challenge that manager’s behaviour? What about a senior person who visits
operations and insists that as they are only here for a look and “don’t need PPE for that area”. I can feel the
hairs on the back of your neck starting to lift if you’ve had either or similar experiences, all that good work
getting the crew to comply is undermined by this act. And I guess respect for that person probably took a
dive, especially if they publicly proclaim their commitment to safety. Compare those examples with those
people you respect, admire, aspire to and would be prepared to follow. What was it they did?......... They did
the right thing didn’t they? Likely they experienced a level of discomfort or challenge perhaps from their
superiors, peers or the public. Like all of us they had imperfections but had the humility to ask questions and
take advice.
Start with your Organisation’s leadership, not exclusively management but those you identify who have
followers. Change the safe behaviours of those who have followers and you have the opportunity to change
many. They may not have a formal management role but they will have senior status, more experienced,
older, are looked up to etc. We are social animals and our desire for acceptance in a group is greater than
strict compliance with any external rules. I have witnessed intelligent, capable and competent people adopt
the same unsafe behaviours displayed by a more senior person because “they don’t want to rock the boat”
and jeopardise their relationships with colleagues in their work area. Focussing behavioural change on
leaders doesn’t immediately mean that all is well and followers will change their behaviour straight away.
“Do as I do, not as I say” is a powerful influence which promotes respect and leaders consciously and
consistently exhibiting safe behaviours achieve two important outcomes.
First by working with the coach to reframe challenges and barriers they identify small changes in their
behaviours e.g. actions or responses in particular situations. They can then try out these skills and
behaviours with immediate feedback from the coach. New skills and behaviours practiced on a regular basis
soon become safe habits which will in turn reinforces a positive attitude to change.
Secondly, by followers seeing new behaviours consistently reinforced, it sends out the message that it’s OK
to change. Don’t expect everything to change overnight as every individual comes with their own values,
some will change quickly and others may remain entrenched but as I mentioned earlier the draw of being
socially accepted in a group “being part of the crew” is a powerful one.
In fact thinking of the pressures managers and supervisors are constantly under, why make it harder for
themselves by behaving in the examples above? We all know how we should behave from the extensive
safety training we receive so why think any different other than leading by example?
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6. Reflective Safety Coach
Other ways a Safety Coach can add value
Cutting through First Impressions to get to Reality
Behavioural based safety training programmes are run over a limited time where there is the opportunity for
individuals to display a skewed representation of what actually happens offshore. The Safety Coach can
break through any skewed representation of the world by actually being there. A few days in a hotel is
replaced by one or many hitches onboard where any skewed representation is peeled away over time to
how it actually is out there. People cannot maintain any façade that could be maintained over a short
training course and begin to reveal who they really are and the challenges they face.
Gaining Greater Traction to Training
Training gains greater traction in transfer by revisiting and reviewing training content in the workplace. We
all know how we return from the best programmes, keen to implement new learning in the workplace but
inevitably get sucked into the demands of the job and the folder gathers dust on the shelf. The safety coach
can be that person who is the bridge, supporting those who want to do something different back in their
workplace.
So Why ?
By engaging an external safety coach there are no agendas to maintain the status quo or align performance
competitively. Observation and reporting back to the client can often contribute to further development of
individuals or relationships between contractors and clients.
So What are Good Ingredients of a Safety Coaching Programme?
Sound partnership with future vision
Investing the time to fully understand each other is worth its weight in gold that’s both the hard realities of
today along with a clear vision of what the future looks like.
Looking at the Whole Picture
Using coaching as an “and” rather than an “or” in the development of Safety Culture in your organisation. It
may be “less is more” and a blended approach of training, workshops and other interventions can bring
about a more sustainable change than one or another.
For more details on how “Intertek Consulting and Training” support organisations with their safety coaching
programmes please email mark.reed@intertek.com or call+44 (0)1224 296380.
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