Over 21 years ago, Ben Thomas, President of UST Training, wrote this article in an attempt to spark conversation about different ways to encourage compliance and discourage noncompliance for UST systems. Curiously, Ben based this article on an internationally famous dog training book by Karen Pryor called “Don’t Shoot the Dog, the New Art of Teaching and Training“. The author makes it clear these technics work on people too.
Having been a UST former regulator, Ben believed — and still believes — that changing the behavior of Class A/B or C UST operators is equal too, or perhaps more important, than training them. The article follows the four positive and four negative behavior reinforcement tools outlined by Pryor to help change behavior to improve success results. The slightly edgy title implies there are other ways to make a dog quit barking than shooting it.
Before Ben published the article, he sent a draft to the author. Here’s what she said.
Here’s an unusual, real-life human application of positive reinforcement principles. The author, Ben Thomas, first wrote to us when he was working in Alaska inspecting fuel storage tanks for the government’s leak prevention program. He ran across Don’t Shoot the Dog and began using the Eight Methods (Chapter 4) to revamp his program, much as he describes in this fictional account. His goal: shaping the desired behavior instead of inspecting, citing, fining, and even closing down tank operators who were not maintaining their tanks as the law required.
This article is mainly for the regulatory inspector audience, but might have some value for operators as well. We appreciate your feedback. What do you think about these various approaches to improving operational compliance? Let Ben know at Ben@USTtraining,com
