Health & Safety Training

Behavioural Safety Training Course

A one-day, in-company workshop that shows you how to set up and run a behavioural based safety programme, tackling the human factors behind most workplace accidents.

1 day · at your site In-company UK-wide Certificate of attendance Managers, supervisors, safety reps
Key facts at a glance
1 day
Workshop lengthdelivered at your premises
BBS
The focusbehavioural based safety
Human factors
Why it worksmost accidents trace back to behaviour
Practical
The outcomeset up your own BBS programme
The course
Quick answer

What is behavioural safety training?

Behavioural safety training shows an organisation how to set up and run a behavioural based safety (BBS) programme: observing how people actually work, understanding the human factors behind unsafe acts, and changing behaviour to prevent accidents. KeyOstas delivers it as a one-day workshop at your premises.

Tackles the human behaviour behind most workplace accidents
A practical method for setting up a BBS programme
Covers safety culture, the safety cycle and observation
Certificate of attendance for every delegate
When accidents are analysed, the large majority trace back to human failure rather than equipment or design. Behavioural based safety works with that fact: instead of waiting for accidents, it proactively observes how people behave, identifies at-risk behaviour, and addresses the reasons behind it. This workshop gives managers, supervisors and safety representatives a practical method for planning, launching and running a BBS programme that strengthens your safety culture over time.
Most accidents
trace back to human behaviour
1 day
to plan your BBS programme
Safety culture
what BBS builds over time
Is it right for you

Is this workshop right for your team?

It is for the people who will lead, plan or carry out a behavioural safety programme.

Right for you if…

Your accident data points to human factors and unsafe acts
You want to move from reacting to accidents to preventing them
You are planning to set up a behavioural based safety programme
You need managers, supervisors or safety reps to lead it
You want to strengthen your safety culture, not just your paperwork

A different course fits better if…

You need basic health & safety awareness for all staff
You need to investigate a specific accident: see Accident Investigation training
You want a regulated, accredited qualification: this is a certificate of attendance
After the course

What you will be able to do

By the end of the workshop, every delegate will be able to do the following.

Understand BBS

Understand behavioural safety

Explain what behavioural based safety is, its history and the psychology behind it.

Know the safety cycle

Describe the safety cycle and how safety culture develops in an organisation.

See the human factor

Recognise how human behaviour contributes to accident potential.

Understand observation

Explain the purpose and methodology of a behavioural safety observation.

Run a programme

Plan a BBS programme

Plan a behavioural based safety programme, including a steering group.

Set roles and observers

Set roles and responsibilities and appoint and brief observers.

Carry out observations

Carry out observations, record data and prioritise the findings.

Act on at-risk behaviour

Identify at-risk behaviour and turn observation findings into action.

Course content

What the workshop covers

One practical day, built around setting up a real BBS programme.

01

Process overview

  • Safety management systems and where BBS fits
  • The history of behavioural based safety
  • The psychology background and the safety cycle
02

Process details

  • The planning process, including steering groups
  • Roles and responsibilities
  • Appointing observers
  • The behavioural safety cycle
03

The observation

  • The purpose and methodology of observations
  • Planning and approach
  • Recording data
  • Prioritising the findings
04

Risk & behaviour

  • In the line of fire: spotting where people are exposed
  • At-risk behaviour and why it happens
  • Tools and equipment
  • Turning observations into lasting change
Assessment

How the workshop is assessed and certificated

Practical and discussion-led, with no written exam.

Format

Instructor-led, in-company

A KeyOstas tutor delivers the workshop at your premises, and your own safety data and procedures can be built in.

Assessment

Workshop exercises and discussion

Understanding is built and checked through practical exercises and discussion rather than an exam.

Certificate

Certificate of attendance

Every delegate receives a KeyOstas certificate of attendance on completion.

This is a practical workshop rather than a regulated qualification. It gives your team the method to set up a behavioural based safety programme; the programme itself then runs and develops in the workplace.
Why KeyOstas

Why train with KeyOstas

Four decades of practical, in-company health & safety training.

01

Delivered at your site

We come to you, anywhere in the UK, and train your team around your working pattern.

02

Built around your data

Your own accident data and safety procedures can be worked into the day.

03

A method you will use

Delegates leave with a practical plan for their own BBS programme.

04

Specialists since 1984

Four decades of training UK workforces with practical instruction, not generic e-learning.

FAQ

Behavioural safety training: frequently asked questions

What is behavioural based safety?
Behavioural based safety, or BBS, is a proactive approach that observes how people actually behave at work, identifies at-risk behaviour, and addresses the reasons behind it, in order to prevent accidents before they happen.
How long is the workshop?
One day, delivered in-company at your premises.
Who should attend?
Managers, supervisors, safety representatives and anyone who will help plan, lead or carry out a behavioural safety programme.
Is behavioural safety training a legal requirement?
There is no specific law requiring it. It is a proactive method that supports the broader duty to manage health and safety risks and to build a positive safety culture.
Will we leave able to run a BBS programme?
Yes. The workshop is built around planning a real programme: the steering group, roles, observers, the observation method and acting on findings.
Does it cover safety culture?
Yes. The workshop covers the safety cycle and how safety culture develops, because behavioural safety and culture reinforce each other.
Is this an accredited qualification?
It is a KeyOstas course with a certificate of attendance: a practical workshop rather than a regulated qualification.
Can the workshop use our own accident data?
Yes. We can build your own accident data and safety procedures into the day so the training reflects your real situation.

Set up your behavioural safety programme

Tell us how many managers, supervisors and safety reps you would like to train, and we will put together a quote for the one-day workshop delivered at your site.

Last reviewed: May 2026. Checked against current UK health & safety legislation and HSE guidance.