Safety by Design – Human and Organizational Performance with Pam Tompkins CSP, CUSP

Read the article – https://incident-prevention.com/blog/safety-by-design-human-and-organizational-performance/

In this installment of the Safety by Design podcast series, host Nick sits down with Pam Tompkins, President and CEO of SET Solutions, to explore the transformative philosophy of Human and Organizational Performance (HOP). Based on her latest article in Incident Prevention magazine, Pam breaks down why traditional, compliance-based safety programs often fall short in high-risk utility environments.

Listeners will discover how shifting from a “blame culture” to a “learning culture” can drastically improve safety outcomes. Pam details the five core principles of HOP, offering actionable advice on how to identify predictable “error traps,” why context matters in human decision-making, and how leadership’s response to failure defines an organization’s future. Whether you are a frontline leader or a safety executive, this episode provides the blueprint for building a resilient system that protects employees even when mistakes happen.

Keywords: Safety by Design, Human and Organizational Performance, HOP Principles, Utility Safety, Safety Culture, Pam Tompkins, Incident Prevention, Error Traps, Operational Learning.

Key Takeaways

• The “Blame” Trap vs. System Design: Traditional safety often assumes employees should be perfect 100% of the time. HOP accepts that people will make mistakes and focuses on fixing the systems (procedures, equipment, pressures) that support them, rather than trying to “fix” the people.
• The 5 Principles of HOP: The episode outlines five foundational principles:
  1. People will make mistakes.
  2. Error-likely situations are predictable.
  3. All human actions are influenced by context.
  4. Operational upsets can be avoided.
  5. How we respond to failure matters.
• Identifying Error Traps: Many incidents are preceded by “error traps”—predictable conditions like fatigue (working 16+ hours), unfamiliar tasks (e.g., a mobile sub not used in a year), or unclear switching orders. Identifying these early prevents errors from becoming accidents.
• The Critical Role of Leadership Response: A leader’s reaction to a failure determines if an organization learns or hides. Asking “Who messed up?” creates fear, while asking “What conditions led to this?” builds trust and encourages the reporting of near-misses.
• Learning From Daily Work: You don’t have to wait for a major accident to learn. Simple habits, like a two-minute “after-action review” at the tailgate or informal learning teams, can uncover operational gaps before they cause harm.

Questions & Answers

Q1: What is the biggest misconception about adopting Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) in the workplace? A: The biggest misconception is that HOP ignores accountability. In reality, HOP shifts accountability from “who is to blame” to “how do we fix the system.” It acknowledges that while individuals are responsible for their actions, they often work within flawed systems that set them up for failure. As Pam Tompkins explains, you cannot fix a human being, but you can fix the pressures, tools, and procedures that influence their decisions.

Q2: What are some practical examples of “error traps” that utility crews face? A: “Error traps” are specific conditions that increase the probability of a mistake. Common examples discussed in the podcast include:

• Fatigue: Crews working long shifts during storm restoration.
• Infrequent Tasks: Performing a job or using equipment (like a mobile substation) that hasn’t been touched in months.
• Poor Documentation: Switching orders that bundle multiple critical tasks into a single step without checks and balances.
• Production Pressure: Implicit or explicit messages from management prioritizing speed over safety protocols.

Q3: How can a team start implementing HOP principles tomorrow without a massive administrative overhaul? A: Implementation can start with a simple question. Pam suggests that frontline leaders ask their crews daily: “What part of your job is most likely to hurt someone today, and what gets in the way of doing it safely?” Additionally, shifting the post-incident conversation from discipline to curiosity—asking “Walk me through what happened” instead of “Why didn’t you follow the rule?”—immediately begins to build the trust necessary for a HOP culture.

#SafetyByDesign #UtilitySafety #SafetyManagementSystem #ProactiveSafety #LeadingIndicators #WorkplaceSafety #SafetyCulture

OSHA Power Electric Standards Course –  https://ip-institute.com/osha-electric-power-standards/

Subscribe to Incident Prevention Magazine – https://incident-prevention.com/subscribe-now/

Register for the iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo – https://utilitysafetyconference.com/