Levi Barahona has been a van driver on the C20+ project in the Chilean Tarapacá region for a little over a year. Today, he’s proud to also be one of the company’s Behavioral Observers, a role which is about encouraging safe behavior in the workplace.

Tell us about your experience as a Behavioral Observer

It’s been really gratifying. Beyond the monitoring itself, my goal is to encourage people to adopt habits and behavior involving self-care in their work teams. The aim is for them to arrive home safe and sound after their working day has ended. This should be any company’s chief priority and common objective.

As I belong to the General Services area, I spend most of my time at the Victoria Logistics Center (CLV, in Spanish), and I often see new people who are in great need of guidance and training. This is why I place a lot of emphasis on encouraging people to raise their hand and ask when they see any risky behavior.

What motivated you to become a Behavioral Observer?

Before I came to the C20+ project, I was working at Quebrada Blanca 2 (QB2), where I wanted to sign up for this role, but I got there too late as the team had already been formed. When I arrived at the C20+ project, while they were building the CLV, I noticed several substandard acts and conditions, so I decided to sign up. At the time, the group was still small, so there was room for someone else.

What was the training like?

It was excellent, precise and concise. For me, as I already had some experience in this area in the mining industry, and had been on a Health and Safety Parity Committee, it was all very familiar.

I learned, for example, to focus on new hires, especially those with little experience in the mining industry. I think this is the most important thing, because people are used to doing things as quickly as possible, rather than as best possible.

What do you think is the most important function of the Behavioral Observer?

I think the most important thing is that they are physically present, because the Quality, Health, Safety and Environment department can’t be everywhere all at the same time. Ideally, all employees should be Behavioral Observers, because that would mean that we had a greater safety culture, where each person could try to reduce unsafe acts and promote safe behaviors.

As a Behavioral Observer, I believe the challenge is about continuing to be there and redoubling efforts to report as much as possible. I extend my invitation to others to adopt safe behaviors and take personal responsibility for our own protection, as well as that of the people around us.