The fundamentals of safety leadership: Lessons from a Major Capital Project

Earlier this year, JMJ’s Alan Palmer spoke to Mike Porter,* Intel Project Director, and Jim Hayde, Operations Director at Jacobs Engineering, to reflect on the High-Performance Project™ achievements of Intel’s “Fab 14” major capital project which took place in Ireland 25 years ago. 

During the discussion, Mike and Jim share many stories and anecdotes that highlight how they created an aligned, collaborative high-performance culture resulting in an amazing five million worker-hours without a fatality and the completing the project with a cost saving of 7%.

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Here are a few key safety leadership lessons from the major capital project:

1. Relationship is critical: Building strong relationships and trust within the project team, contractor management, and the workforce is fundamental to successful safety leadership. Open and honest communication creates an environment where individuals feel comfortable speaking up about safety and other concerns.
2. Engage the workforce: Recognize the critical role of foremen in shaping safety outcomes. Engage with them early on, listen to their feedback, and address their concerns. Getting foremen onboard and aligned with safety and project objectives is crucial as they have a significant impact on the safety culture of the project.
3. Lead by example: Safety leaders must embody the behaviors they expect from others and never ask people to do something they wouldn’t do themselves. Being a role model and consistently ‘walking the talk’ is essential to gaining credibility and trust.
4. Create trust: Nurture a project environment where trust is established and individuals feel safe to report incidents or near misses without fear of punishment. Show genuine care for the well-being of the workforce, listen to their concerns, and follow through on commitments.
5. Small things matter: Pay attention to the small concerns and address them promptly. Fixing the small things demonstrates that leadership cares about the bigger issues, fostering a culture of attention to detail and continuous improvement.
6. Listen and act: Actively involve the workforce in safety initiatives. Seek their input, listen to their ideas, and act upon their requests. Engaging with workers through meetings, lunches and direct communication shows that leadership values their contributions and their ideas.
7. Look beyond physical safety: Expand the safety focus beyond physical hazards to include mental health. Incorporate mental health check programs and discussions into safety initiatives, promoting overall well-being and demonstrating a caring attitude towards the workforce.
8. Look for solutions collaboratively: Encourage collaboration and problem-solving among the project team and stakeholders. Avoid blaming individuals and instead work together to find solutions and continuously improve safety outcomes.
9. Extend safety beyond the workplace: Promote safety discussions and practices beyond the worksite, encouraging workers to apply safety principles at home and in their personal lives. Safety should become a part of everyday life and not limited to the project site.
10. Measure and celebrate success: Establish metrics to track safety and project performance and continuously measure progress. Celebrate milestones and achievements to reinforce a positive safety culture and motivate ongoing commitment to safety.

By prioritizing safety, project leaders can create a culture where safety is embedded in every aspect of a capital project, leading to on-time, on-budget completion and a safer workplace.

If you would like to learn more about how JMJ supported the Fab 14 capital project and the project’s leadership in their commitment to High-Performance Projects™, contact us.

*Since the time of this interview, Mike Porter has sadly passed away. We are grateful for the insights he shared with us and extend our condolences to his family and loved ones.