Mr. Dave Collins’ EIR behaviors (i.e. traits)-Member of the Public:

In this workshop we are defining safety culture and identify traits, but it is also important to (as 

Stephen Covey says) “begin with the end in mind”. The goal is not simply to develop a definition 

and identify traits, but to be able to apply them to manage and regulate for healthy safety 

cultures, and to be able to assess culture accurately so that going forward safety events (such as 

Davis Besse (nuclear power industry), or Iodine 131 (medical industry) is not the first indication of 

what had been a weak (low quality, low performing) safety culture for a (sometimes very) 

extended time. 

What are observed EIR behaviors? 

EIR behaviors indicate the existence (or lack of) those professional leadership attitudes that 

maintain stakeholder trust. It is important to understand the concept of trust and also to 

understand (at least in a high level, general way) the management and regulation process in 

which the EIR behaviors are used. 

The Concept of Trust 

In this context of assessing, managing and regulating safety culture; trust is defined as “observed 

professional behavior over a period of time.” This period of time might be (for example) a yearly 

NRC inspection interval. Trust = Good Behavior [Excellence + Integrity + Relationship] / Time 

The MRPB process 

The EIR behaviors are part of a safety culture quality management process called MRPB - 

Management and Regulation of Professional Behaviors. What we are trying to do is manage the 

quality of safety cultures. MRPB is a safety culture quality management approach based on the 

theory that the quality of a HRO safety culture is determined by the collective professional 

management behaviors of the leadership team, a concept supported by most leading safety 

organizations, professionals, academics and authors. For safety culture management and 

regulation, the EIR behaviors work with an objective quality metric for safety culture assessment 

called the “MPRB number”. 

The MRPB number 

In any HRO, some of the workers in the org perform tasks that affect safety and some do not. The 

safety workers are called SRFA workers – safety related functional area workers. The MRPB 

number is the total number of SRFA workers minus the SRFA workers performing sub-optimally 

due to weak culture management DIVIDED BY the total number of SRFA workers. “Divided by” 

normalizes the result so the MRPB can be compared to a workforce of a different size at a 

different company that is doing the same kind of safety related work. Example: a site has 1,000 

SRFA workers and the culture analysis indicates a weak culture is affecting 200 workers, the 

MRPB number is (1000 – 200) / 1000 = 0.8 (or 80% efficiency). 

The EIR Behaviors: 

Excellence Behaviors 

1. Communicates and models values 

2. Clearly communicates expectations 

3. Focus is on value not cost 

4. Ensures training, resources 

5. Good problem-solver and coach 

6. Promotes open, deep org learning 

Integrity Behaviors 

1. Does the right thing (behaves ethically) 

2. Communicates openly and honestly 

3. Makes conservative decisions 

4. Addresses issues promptly, properly 

5. Uses failures to learn, not punish 

6. Ensures appropriate accountability 

Relationship Behaviors 

1. Listens carefully to suggestions 

2. Welcoming and respectful 

3. Promotes diversity, development 

4. Promotes diversity, development 

5. Compliments more than criticizes 

6. Promotes work / life balance