The Nimrod Review - Official Documents

Chapter 27 – New Safety Culture
27.32 If leaders and membership of organisations were briefed on the loss of Challenger and Columbia and other
major accidents, including XV230, there would be a greater understanding of the importance of questioning
and critical thinking.
Figure 27.1: Engaged Organisation and Safety Culture
27.33 The five elements explained above, namely Reporting Culture, Just Culture, Flexible Culture, Learning Culture
and Questioning Culture, combine to form a safety-conscious, informed and, above all, Engaged Organisation
and Safety Culture with the following characteristics:
27.34
Leadership commitment
Open communication
Just environment
Involvement of everyone at all levels of the organisation
Learning throughout the organisation
Effective decision making process
Follow up, feedback and reporting
Critical thinking and questioning
As explained and summarised by the JPDO:
“These characteristics typify a vibrant safety culture in which each employee sees his/her
role as a critical part of the organization’s commitment to safety. In such an environment,
every employee will feel both comfortable – and feel responsible for – reporting any incident
or issue that he/she perceives as being a potential safety risk without fear of reprisal or
retribution. A vibrant safety culture is built on trust at all levels of the organisation working
with each other. It depends upon the values and behaviours of each individual.”
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