CULTURAL MATURITY MODEL
Every organization has a safety culture – defined simply as the “way we do things,” or perhaps “whathappens when the boss isn’t around.” It’s the collective attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that influence
decisions and how hazards are managed day to day and, ultimately, determine safety performance.
With continuous improvement efforts, culture evolves.
There are five progressive levels along the safety culture maturity spectrum – Reactive, Observed,
Collaborative, Accountable, Relentless – each with specific characteristics. Most organizations, ata given point in their safety journey, can be classified as one of the five descriptors. However, it iscommon to experience elements from multiple levels. Generally, as involvement, accountability andpositive recognition in safety increase, cultural maturity advances.

RELENTLESSACCOUNTABLECOLLABORATIVEOBSERVEDREACTIVE
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THE LEVELSDEFINED

REACTIVE Organization reacts to regulations, conditions,

OBSERVED All levels of the organization engage,events and losses. Individual involvement in safety is low

observe and provide input, but focus is mostly complianceand limited mostly to following policies and procedures

and incidents. This level is characterized by movement

mandated by regulatory entities (basic compliance).

toward employee engagement, but accountability is weak§ Management is visibly involved only whenserious incidents or expenses occur.

and fear of retribution for reporting incidents persists.

§ Safety Department is perceived as theprimary owner of the safety system.

§ Employee perceptions are captured, butinvolvement is limited to committees
focused on issue resolution.

§ Safety metrics are lagging (i.e. incident rates;
lost-time frequency; workers’ comp).

§ Safety strategy is focused on lagging indicatorsand managed by Safety Department.

§ Investigations are focused on blame and discipline.

§ Some reluctance by employees toreport incidents and near misses.
§ Training includes on-the-job component,
but mostly compliance-related.

COLLABORATIVE Management exhibits ownership ofACCOUNTABLE Specific, proactive safety

RELENTLESS Safety is in the organization’s “DNA,” assafety responsibilities. Strategic collaboration involves

accountabilities are developed, and employees at all

an integral part of the business operation. This is the best

multiple levels, accountability for proactive safetylevels begin to take ownership in the safety system.

in class level at which safety is managed with the sameprocesses takes shape and communication shifts toManagement involvement in safety is visible, operations

rigor as production, quality and other values.

problem-solving.

personnel lead execution of safety processes with§ Management completes routine safety activities,some of which are defined by employee teams.
§ Accountability and measurement isinconsistent and focused mostly on
quantity of activities performed.
§ Investigations include potential outcomes andutilize a fact-finding (not fault-finding) approach.
§ Safety communication is focusedon incident prevention

support from Safety Department and communication
about safety is mostly proactive and positive in nature.
§ Supervisors insist on and recognize safe work,
even when under production pressure.
§ Employees create and champion
safety processes / solutions.
§ Leading metrics are consistently measured
for both quantity and quality.
§ Performance reviews and written job
descriptions include specific safety activities
measured for quantity and quality.

§ Employee input is the foundation forcontinuous improvement initiatives.
§ There is regular constructive feedback
between employees, as well as positive
recognition for safe work.
§ Employees consistently resolve and reporthazards, incidents and near misses.
§ Safety leadership training equips
supervisors and managers to foster apositive, proactive safety culture.
§ Leading metrics define safety performance.

Progressing through the cultural maturity levels requires commitment, strategy
and consistency. Transforming a culture can be a multi-year process. However,the first steps toward change can spark immediate benefits that should benoticed, celebrated and leveraged for continuous gains.
W. Edwards Deming once said, “Each system is perfectly designed to give you
exactly what you are getting today.” If you aren’t getting the safety results youwant, consider the system producing them.
An effective safety system incorporates technology, learning & training,communication, continuous improvement and leadership development toimprove processes holistically. If you’re interested in learning about a provenprocess that focuses on safety as a system to advance safety culture maturity,contact Caterpillar Safety Services.

CATERPILLAR SAFETY SERVICES
CAT.COM/SAFETY© 2020 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved.
CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “PowerEdge” and Cat “Modern Hex” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarksof Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.