Why Zero Injuries Is NOT Your Goal With Bill Sims Jr

Public Risk Management

Our guest on today’s show is the president of the Bill Sims Company for over 40 years they have created positive reinforcement systems helping large and small firms inspire better performance amongst their employees while increasing bottom line profits. Zero Injury Policy Originated Beginning in 1981 as Bill Sims, Jr. was walking through a textile company he noticed signs and posters that read, “Zero Injuries Our Goal” and “Target Zero Injuries” every place he went he would witness how many days since a last record of an injury and so on. The reason most companies and public entities have this policy as a goal is its been around for many many years and there hasn’t been much reason or encouragement to change this goal of no injuries. It wasn’t until the tragedy BP faced years ago known as the Horizon Disaster that Bill started to wonder if the Zero Injury policy wasn’t the right goal for leaders of a company to have. This company was 7 years’ injury free until on that tragic day when 11 people died on an oil rig – were they operating on the absence of accidents or the presence of safety? Having a ZERO INJURY Policy is setting up your workplace environment up for unsafe behaviors. Evidence That Zero Injuries is not the Goal Within your workplace are your practicing and preparing for an injury or fatality? Everyone is always taking shortcuts within companies whether its texting while driving or not following all of the safety procedures. The important thing Bill wants us to realize is that they way a business or entity is functioning is behavior and if you want to change your workplace results than you need to start implementing changes to the behaviors.