Accreditation of
Workplace Behavioral Safety Programs

What We Can Learn from Evidence-Based Practice

Applied behavior analysis and evidence-based practice and policy share similar goals and characteristics. Both are client focused (focus on client concerns and hoped-for outcomes), both encourage a contextual understanding of problems and possible solutions and attend to application problems including dissemination of practice and policy related research, and both promote transparency of what is done to what effect and value rigorous appraisal of practice and policy-related claims (e. g., of effectiveness). Both attend to ethical concerns and to individual differences (unique characteristics and circumstances of clients and significant others including their values and preferences). Given these shared aims, there are many opportunities to learn from each other, for example, how to involve clients as informed participants and how to encourage dissemination of programs critically tested and found to be effective. Examples are given and future collaborations suggested.

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Accreditation of workplace safety programs.

Starting in 2001, a Steering Committee representing universities, consulting firms and insurance companies, all participants in the CCBS Behavioral Safety Now conference developed standards for the accreditation of workplace programs in behavior-based safety; programs based on the principles of behavior. Those standards received review and discussion over the next two years.

In 2003 the Cambridge Center's Commission on Behavioral Applications was appointed by the CCBS board of directors and replaced the Steering Committee. That year the first accreditation application was accepted and site visit made. Following the site visit, the first accreditation award was made to the Acetate Fibers Division of Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, Tennessee. Since then additional company locations have been accredited, and new applications are being received.

In this section of our web site you can read the complete applications we have received, review performance data, and read the reports of the accreditation site visit committees.

Discussions with companies expressing an interest in becoming pilot sites have taught us the value of the accreditation process. They feel the value of accreditation rests in:

• Pride in doing workplace behavioral safety programs right and achieving recognition for high quality safety performance,
• The learning and improvement that come from an external review and feedback from a neutral third party,
• A competitive market advantage.

Organizations wishing to apply for accreditation of their principles of behavior-based safety programs should carefully read all of the materials in this kit and carefully follow the instructions in completing and submitting the indicated forms.

There are three major steps in applying for accreditation:

1. Notifying CCBS of your intent apply,
2. Completing a written form that describes your organization, the PBBS program and includes the safety data related to the program,
3. Hosting a site visit conducted by people experienced in PBBS. A site visit to your organization and a review of the written materials you submit will provide the information on which your organization is assessed for accreditation.

The accreditation review will be conducted following the standards and methods outlined in this Application Kit.

This document describes the standards and methods that will be applied in the review of a workplace safety program for purposes of accreditation. The standards and methods are described in detail and where appropriate examples are given. This document can guide both your internal reviews as you complete your accreditation application, as well as your preparation for an accreditation site visit.

Review applications and site visit reports for companies that achieved Behavioral Safety Accreditation. (Documents are in Adobe Acrobat format.)

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