ABSTRACT
Key to developing a robust culture of safety is clarity: knowing what's going on at every level of the organization. Organizations which place emphasis on identifying fault and apportioning blame will always encourage a culture of fear and embarrassment which will sooner or later lead to underreporting when it comes to safety issues. In simple terms, a just culture is about being objective, rational and fair rather than jumping to conclusions on the first nuggets of information we receive. Operating a just culture allows people to concentrate on doing their best work, rather than worrying about watching their backs, trying to limit their personal liability. Just culture can function as an effective tool to facilitate dialogue and demonstrate a proactive, person-focused approach to tasks where team-working and watching out for each other is more challenging, for example in lone working, or perhaps during reduced staffing periods such as nightshift or weekend working.
