It is easier to determine whether a company has a poor process safety culture than a good one.

Determining whether a company has a poor process safety culture tends to be easier than identifying a good one due to the more visible signs and symptoms associated with inadequate practices. A poor safety culture is often reflected in higher incident rates, frequent near-misses, increased compliance issues, and an overall lack of employee engagement in safety protocols. These negative indicators are typically easier to identify because they often lead to immediate operational impacts, incidents, and observable behaviors that suggest a dismissive attitude toward safety practices.

On the other hand, a good process safety culture is often more nuanced and can be characterized by proactive behaviors, continuous improvement practices, and intrinsic safety values that may not be as easily measured. A company with an effective safety culture may have robust systems in place, but without clear incidents to highlight their success, these attributes can be more challenging to assess or quantify. Furthermore, a strong culture may rely on subtler factors such as employee morale and observations, which are not immediately apparent.

Overall, the negative consequences of poor practices provide a more direct line of observation, making it easier for evaluators to pinpoint issues within a company's safety culture.