The project consists of four work packages:

• WP1: Literature review

• WP2: Interviews of stakeholders

• WP3: Delphi study

• WP4: Questionnaire and observations in 3 companies

In WP1 we will conduct a descriptive literature review, based on  scientific journals and other relevant material. The aims are to provide  information about the general background and context safety values, to  define safety value, and to explore value perspectives. The literature  review will be used as a ground when developing contents for interviews  (WP2) and Delphi study (WP3). The literature review will include the  following topics: definition of safety values, mechanisms that form and  strengthen safety values, impact of safety values at daily routines, and  value related dilemmas. Moral, social, and business aspects will be  notified. The review will focus on scientific journals on management,  occupational safety, process safety, industrial safety and  organizational psychology. Meta-analysis and reviews for last ten years  will constitute the main content, but also individual studies and other  relevant material will be included. The literature review will offer  essential background information for WP2, WP3 and WP4.

In  WP2 we will develop an interview method and form based on previous  knowledge, research, and practices (WP1). A semi-structured interview  will ensure that information for constructing Delphi study (WP3) and  questionnaire (WP4) will be obtained. In order to get wide perspective  of safety values, we will invite the CEOs and/or top management in 20  organizations at least in five European countries to participate in the  interviews. They will be carried out as face-to-face interviews, or by  using telephone or skype/videomeeting connections and the summary of the  interview will be sent to the interviewee for revision and comments.  The results will also be summarized in a report. The interviews provide  practice- based information on safety values and their impact on  organization’s functions. This information is essential when defining  the topics and questions for Delphi study (WP3) and the questionnaire  (WP4).

In WP3 we execute a Delphi study. The Delphi procedure  will be used to identify to develop consensus on the value of safety and  safety values. A panel of stakeholders will be asked to give their  expert judgment on the value of safety, safety values and dilemmas  confronted in practice. The panel for the Delphi study will include the  following groups: (1) CEOs and production managers, (2) safety  engineers, (3) supervisors, (4) workers or workers representatives, (5)  representatives from local or national authorities (including  inspections), (6) safety researchers/experts, and  (7) (social and  private) insurers. We will approach at least 50 members of each of these  groups, from several European countries, and go for a response of at  least 30 for each of these groups. We foresee two rounds in the Delphi  project. For the first round, an online questionnaire will be developed,  which will include the value of safety (for the organisation, society  and individuals), safety values and safety supporting values, and main  dilemmas in the practical application of safety values.

The  experts will be invited to participate by e-mail and will be given a  login code. In the first round, we will ask them to rate the relevance  of the factors mentioned; they will also have the opportunity to suggest  additional relevant factors. In order to find consensus, the relevance  ratings of the first round will be statistically analysed. For the  second round, a summary of the consensus and convergence of the first  round will be provided as feedback to the panel members. In this round,  the no-consensus factors and the additional items suggested in the first  round will be included. The Stakeholders will then be asked give their  personal motivations for their (no-consensus) scores and to reconsider  their scores given the feedback from the other participants (they will  be able to maintain or change their scores). The answers for the second  round will also be statistically analysed. The topics for the first  round will be based on the literature review and the interviews. In  terms of statistical processing, medians and the interquartile ranges  (IQR) will be used to define (the degree of) consensus.

In  WP4 we will develop a safety value questionnaire, based on information  from WP1, WP2 and WP3. First, we will conduct group interviews in focus  organizations to identify additional essential topics and relevant  questions. The questionnaire will include questions on perceived safety  values in different organizational levels and groups, and how they  affect safety performance. We will invite 1.500-2.000 persons from three  Finnish companies to participate in the survey. The differences between  various personnel groups will be analyzed statistically in order to  recognize problems and bottlenecks in sharing values and in value  communication. In the participating three organizations, we will also  include observations at the work places during the second year of the  project. With observations we will gather additional information about  the topics of the questionnaire, especially about existing safety values  and how they become concrete in daily operations and working  conditions. We try to identify value conflicts in everyday work,  decision making and value communication. We will assess how  organizations promote and share the safety values in practice, and what  factors in companies and organizations strengthen safety values. In  research, part of the companies contacted will be selected from Finnish  Zero Accident Forum. The Zero Accident Forum is a voluntary network of  Finnish workplaces. It is open to any workplace, regardless of its size,  field or level of occupational safety. What is important is to have a  genuine desire to improve safety and strive towards zero accidents. The  membership of the Zero Accident Forum means that the management and  staff of the organization are committed to improving their own  occupational safety and carrying out the work it entails.