Safety I’s
What gets practised becomes your culture. But without a shared understanding of what “good” safety behaviours look like, consistency and trust are difficult to achieve. Even well-meant actions like speaking up or intervening can be perceived differently across cultures and ranks. This is why alignment is crucial.
Our behavioural framework, the Safety I’s, provides a clear, shared guide to the daily behaviours that build openness and trust, drive safety, and elevate performance across your organisation.
Defining and Aligning Behaviours with the Safety I’s
We have seen organisations that…
- Focus on improving procedures because behaviours seem “too soft” – yet they still struggle to bridge the gap between rules and real-world actions
- Promote good company values like “Reliability” and “Safety” – but still face inconsistency in how those values show up in daily practice
Here’s what we have learned: Even the best procedures and values can fail without clear behavioural expectations. Unclear expectations breed inconsistent safety and unpredictable performance.
This is where the Safety I’s makes a difference.
The Safety I’s™ is a simple, hands-on, and practical behavioural framework developed by Green-Jakobsen.
It aligns individuals, teams, and the organisation around five core behaviours that foster an open and trusting atmosphere – a prerequisite for proactive safety and high performance.
A client adopted the Safety I’s as their behavioural principles and painted their basketball court on board to serve as a visual reminder.
The 5 Safety I Behaviours
Each Safety I follows a two-way principle – you give and receive, lead and follow, share and learn.
Insight
Seek and share knowledge
Innovation
Explore and welcome better ways
Influence
Lead and be led by example
Intervention
Correct and accept feedback
Integration
Prioritise safety at all times
A Safety I for Every Situation
When leaders encourage crew members to speak up during meetings/talks (Insight, Integration), and when all ranks dare to stop unsafe acts (Intervention), they also allow each other to discuss and change behaviour or the way things are usually done (Innovation, Influence) – thus creating an open and trusting work environment.
What Our Clients Say
“When we introduce ourselves to customers, Safety I’s helps us easily explain our safety culture. And although safety is a focus issue for every player in the market, we think that we are more ‘aggressive’ and proactive.”
– HSEQ Director
“Safety I’s gives us a common language. We’re on the same page, and it’s easier to talk about best practices.”
– Technical Superintendent
“Now, there is more talking in our toolbox talks. Even the ratings are involved. Before, only the officers talked.”
– Third Officer
“There’s really a Safety I for every situation. When we observe unsafe acts, we do Intervention – we correct the unsafe acts. When there are new crew members, we do Insight – we share knowledge with them.”
– Second Officer
“On board, we do not belong to the same nationality, but we can use the Safety I’s as our common language.”
– AB
How we can bring the Safety I’s to you
Training
As part of a course, workshop, or conference for your ship and/or shore personnel
Consultancy
We will help you adapt the Safety I’s to your existing company programmes, policies, or values