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BSO: A Pillar of MECATHERM’s Safety Culture

At MECATHERM, safety is at the heart of our priorities and represents a fundamental component of our sustainability strategy and corporate culture. In line with this commitment, we have implemented a risk prevention approach across our sites: Behavioral Safety Observations (BSO). 
This structured and collaborative approach aims to strengthen an interdependent safety culture, in which everyone looks after their own safety while actively contributing to that of their colleagues. It helps create a safer working environment based on dialogue, observation, and continuous improvement. 

Meet David Lavigne, HSE Manager at MECATHERM, who shares insights into the BSO program’s objectives, principles, and initial results within our company. 

1. What does the Behavioral Safety Observation (BSO) process involve? 

A Behavioral Safety Observation (BSO) is a structured exchange lasting approximately 20 minutes. It involve three participants: 

  • A visitor 
  • An observed employee (the person being visited) 
  • And a coach,during the rollout phase of the initiative. 

The process is carried out in several stages: 

a. Observation: For about five minutes, the visitor observes the employee at work without intervening, noting both safe behaviors and areas for improvement. 

b. Feedback:The visitor begins by highlighting the positive safety behaviors observed and initiates a discussion on any safety risks identified. The objective is to enable the observed employee to personally identify the risk situations to which they may have been exposed. 

c.Discussion: An open dialogue then takes place between the visitor and the observed employee to identify realistic and practical improvements. 

d.Commitment: The observed employee concludes the visit by making a personal commitment aimed at improving safety, either for themselves and/or for their colleagues. 

During the rollout phase of the initiative, the coach plays an observational role. The coach ensures compliance with the methodology and the quality and benevolence of the exchanges. 

 At the end of the visit, the coach provides feedback to the visitor to help improve future BSO practices. 

2. How are BSOs concretely implemented at MECATHERM? 

BSOs are implemented according to the following principles: 

  • Each employee carries out one BSO per year. 
  • Observations are conducted directly on site, in real working conditions. 
  • At the end of each observation, the observed employee formalizes a personal commitment. 
  • These commitments mainly focus on behavioral changes rather than material or organizational actions. 

3. What are the key principles that ensure the effectiveness of a BSO? 

The effectiveness of BSOs is based on several key principles: 

  • Care and trust: The visit is neither an inspection nor a judgment. 
  • Dialogue: Exchanges are based on listening and mutual respect. 
  • Recognition: Safe practices are highlighted and shared across the organization. 
  • Personal commitment: Each BSO concludes with a concrete individual commitment. 
  • Consistency: The approach is designed to be sustainable over time. 

4. What is the Bradley Curve, and how does the BSO approach help MECATHERM progress toward a higher level of safety culture? 

The Bradley Curve illustrates the different levels of safety culture maturity within an organization: 

  1. Reactive: Safety is mainly managed by the HSE department, with limited involvement from leadership. 

  1. Dependent: Safety relies primarily on compliance with rules and hierarchical authority. 

  1. Independent: Individuals recognize their personal responsibility for safety. 

  1. Interdependent: Everyone acts not only for their own safety but also for the safety of others. 

The BSO approach enables MECATHERM to move toward this interdependent level by encouraging peer observation and constructive dialogue. It aims to develop a shared collective vigilance, where everyone remains attentive to both their own safety and that of those around them. 

5. What initial results have been observed since the implementation of the BSO process at MECATHERM? 

The initial results observed since the implementation of the BSO process at MECATHERM have been very positive. The approach is generally well understood; teams have fully embraced it, and tangible improvements in workplace behaviors are already being observed. These early feedback results confirm the relevance of the BSO process and encourage its continuation as well as its gradual rollout across other departments. 

Through BSOs, we strengthen a shared ambition to embed safety at the heart of our culture and our sustainability strategy, supported across all levels of the organization. 

Learn more about our Sustainability strategy and our areas of commitment:  Our approach | Mecatherm 

 

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