Human Performance

Overview

All safety records are documented and reported to the Safety and Human Performance Manager who ensures each employee meets Qualus' rigorous safety training requirements. We conduct regular on-site safety observations and ensure proper adherence to procedures.

Each year, the Safety and Human Performance Manager evaluates safety objectives and creates an annual safety improvement plan based on those safety observations.

Additionally, we conduct ongoing power plant safety training and competency checks with all employees and address individual-specific safety concerns. Based on those individual evaluations, the Safety and Human Performance manager may require additional power plant safety training for anyone found to be in violation of Qualus' safety standards.

Human Performance Behavioral Focus Areas

Qualus promotes a culture that encourages employees to do the right thing, share any lessons learned when unexpected results occur, and thrive in an environment with opportunities for improvement. To assess the health and effectiveness of our human performance culture, we’ve established four core areas of focus, which form the pillars of our business. These pillars include Leadership, Management, and Accountability (LMA), employee training, qualifications, systems, tools, and core processes. — this last part is confusing because systems and tools are vague unless it’s the title of something such as “Qualifications, Systems, and Tools” 

Think It

  • Initial On-boarding Training
    • Comprehensive HP overview
    • HP tools used in the field
  • Understanding the three performance modes and recognizing that even the strongest veterans can make a mistake:
    • Knowledge base
    • Rule base
    • Skill base
  • HP Leadership Summit
    • Provide training on understanding human nature
    • Provide performance modes trainings to employees
  • Human Performance Tip of the Month

See It, Believe It

  • Leadership leads by example
  • Field observations and coaching conducted at all levels of leadership
  • Consistent use of HP tool kits by employees
  • In depth investigations of events and incidents to drive continuous improvement:
    • Stakeholder, safety, HP, quality and client engagement
    • “SMART” corrective actions
    • Outcomes communicated throughout the organization
    • Trend and data analyzation, focus on issue, realize benefits

Embrace It

  • Employee-led discussions/suggestions to improve practical application of critical HP tools
  • Increased good catch and near miss reporting
  • Employee recognition when sharing good catches and near misses
  • HP campaigns and incentive programs to boost employee engagement
  • Partnership with clients to share best practices

Human Performance Principles and Pillars of Business

Leadership, Management, and Accountability

Through operational ownership, management leadership, and accountability, our employees thrive in an environment that values human performance. In our efforts to achieve and sustain success, we model our operations according to the following guiding principles: vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction/progress.


Employee Training and Qualifications

All of our employees (new and existing) are required to complete our risk-based technical, safety, quality, and human performance training, which focuses on our expectations, procedures, and tactics for delivering performance excellence.


Systems and Tools

Systems and tools provide the facts for making sound, data-driven decisions, and drive continuous process improvement. A significant investment has been made in this area to ensure work is performed in a consistent manner to prevent human errors and mistakes.


Core Processes

With a focus on quality, we’ve developed core processes to guide and improve our standard of business. These include: 

  • Our Business Practices
  • The Client Reference Manual
  • The Project Reference Manual


Human Performance Principles

  • People are fallible – even the best can make mistakes

  • Errors are predictable, manageable, and preventable

  • Individual behavior is influenced by organizational processes and values

  • Encouragement and reinforcement given by leaders, peers, and subordinates can lead to higher performance

  • Mistakes can be avoided by understanding that errors will occur and applying the lessons learned from similar, past events


Human Performance Modes

Information processing operates in one or more of the three performance modes:

  • Skill-based – Routine actions in a familiar situation (without conscious attention or control)
  • Rule-based – Task performed by using existing rules from procedures, training or experience.
  • Knowledge-based – Unfamiliar situation exists requiring employees to apply analytical skills and judgment (i.e. trouble shooting or fault diagnosis)

These modes are based on the level of familiarity an individual has with a specific task and the level of attention (degree of information processing) a person applies to the activity