Changing the internal health and safety organization through organizational learning and change management

Abstract

Abstract Research from several countries indicates that the internal health and safety organization is marginalized in most companies, and it is difficult for the professionals to secure a proper role in health and safety on the companies' present agenda. The goal of a Danish project involving a network of 11 companies was to search for a solution to this problem. The health and safety managers and safety representatives played the role of “change agents” for local projects aiming to develop the health and safety organization. The study showed that 3 of the 11 companies proved to be able to implement successful changes; 5 were partially successful; 3 were nonperformers. The more successful outcomes seem to depend on the abilities of change agents to handle a complex and unpredictable project. Based on these case studies, it has been possible to deduce some strategies change agents must follow to fulfill such a process. Such strategies require the ability to be able to identify opportunities for change, establish a sustainable problem definition, and build coalitions. An amoeba model is suggested as a metaphor for this type of development project. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 269–284, 2006.