The system of shared accountability, as described in safety contexts, establishes distinct responsibilities for both organizations and individuals when incidents occur. This approach moves beyond simply blaming individuals for failures, recognizing that systemic issues often play a significant role.
According to the principle, "There is a shared accountability, whereby organizations are held accountable for the system failures that lead to an incident and individuals are accountable for their actions if they make a deliberate decision not to follow a safety procedure or principle." This framework clarifies who is responsible for different aspects contributing to an incident.
Understanding the Two Pillars of Shared Accountability
Shared accountability rests on the idea that responsibility is distributed based on the nature of the failure. It distinguishes between failures caused by flawed systems and those resulting from intentional disregard for safety protocols.
Organizational Accountability
Organizations bear the responsibility for shortcomings within their systems. This includes:
- Poorly designed processes: Procedures that are confusing, inefficient, or inherently unsafe.
- Insufficient resources: Lack of staffing, equipment, or time needed to perform tasks safely.
- Inadequate training: Failure to properly educate employees on safety procedures and risks.
- Flawed communication channels: Breakdown in how critical safety information is shared.
- Weak safety culture: An environment where safety is not prioritized or where reporting issues is discouraged.
When an incident stems from these systemic issues, the organization is held accountable for fixing the underlying problems to prevent recurrence.
Individual Accountability
Individuals are held accountable for their specific actions, specifically when they make a deliberate choice to violate established safety procedures or principles. This is not about simple human error or mistakes made within a flawed system. It focuses on willful misconduct, such as:
- Intentionally bypassing a safety control: Deliberately ignoring a lockout/tagout procedure to save time.
- Knowingly performing a task unsafely: Choosing to operate machinery without required personal protective equipment (PPE) despite being trained.
- Violating a critical safety rule: Willfully driving a vehicle over the speed limit in a restricted area.
In a shared accountability system, individuals are held responsible for these deliberate actions that violate safety standards.
Why is Shared Accountability Important?
Adopting a shared accountability model offers several benefits:
- Fairness: It avoids unfairly blaming individuals for failures caused by organizational shortcomings.
- Improved Safety Culture: It encourages organizations to invest in better systems and processes while still expecting individuals to adhere to safety rules.
- Effective Learning: It prompts a thorough investigation into both systemic and individual factors following an incident, leading to more effective preventive measures.
- Focus on Root Causes: By looking beyond the individual, it helps identify and address the fundamental issues within the system.
Rather than a simple pass/fail model, shared accountability acknowledges the complex interplay between human behavior and organizational systems in maintaining safety.
Implementing Shared Accountability
Effectively implementing this system requires:
- Clear Safety Standards: Ensure procedures and rules are well-defined, understood, and accessible.
- Robust Incident Investigation: Conduct investigations that thoroughly examine both system failures and individual actions.
- Just Culture Principles: Differentiate between human error, at-risk behavior (where incentives or system issues contribute), and reckless behavior (deliberate disregard for safety).
- Continuous Improvement: Use incident findings to improve systems, training, and procedures, as well as address individual accountability for deliberate violations.
By holding organizations accountable for systemic issues and individuals accountable for deliberate violations, shared accountability fosters a more just and ultimately safer environment.
