While several version of behavior-based safety (BBS) have been around since the 1980s, few of them have truly adapted to the changing environment in which they must operate. The Lean BBS process has not only evolved, but continues to do so with each customized implementation. Making BBS fit your culture, operations, and logistical realities, rather than trying to make your company fit some idealistic model, is a key to success in today's realities.

In 2001, ProAct Safety introduced Lean BBS as a major update to traditional behavior-based safety models with a focus on providing new value with more efficient, safer work. Simply put, Lean BBS focuses on adding value to employees rather than trying to control them. Lean BBS addresses the four major issues found within the average behavior-based safety process:

1. BBS provides successful results for many organizations, but they are looking for a way to take the process to the next level. The Lean BBS methodology takes them there.
2. Some are adamantly against BBS for a number of reasons (union resistance, questionable implementations, cookie-cutter and inflexible approaches, etc.). Lean BBS gains bargaining unit support, and is fit-for-purpose and customized to the realities of each organization.
3. Organizations with vastly different processes from site to site want to bring uniformity across the company. Simply changing from one methodology to another is not appealing nor rational. Implementing a more efficient Lean BBS model was both appealing and a rational solution to encourage the processes to evolve towards value-add.
4. Some hesitate to pursue BBS due to high costs and demand on internal resources to operate the process. Lean BBS provides an alternative that addresses these concerns due to the hyper focus on efficiency and ensuring value-add.