Operational discipline in the workplace

The purpose of this paper is to review the development, application, and continuous improvement of operational discipline programs at DuPont. DuPont defines operational discipline as a deeply rooted dedication and commitment by each member of the organization to carry out each task the right way, each time. Operational discipline reflects the strength of an organization's safety culture in making environmental health and safety (EHS) systems effective and in providing tangible results for preventing injuries and incidents. In addition, a high level of operational discipline typically contributes to improved business performance through higher productivity, higher quality, reduced waste, and lower costs. Eleven characteristics are used to help evaluate and drive continuous improvement of operational discipline by self‐assessments, audits, and incident investigations. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2005