Purpose: The aim of this contribution is to describe a new complexity-science-based approach for improving safety, quality and efficiency and the way it was implemented by TenarisDalmine. Design/methodology/approach: This methodology is called "a safety-building community". It consists of a safety-behaviour social self-construction process management method that makes it possible to significantly reduce the frequency and severity of on-the-job accidents and meet the company's commitment to safety. Findings: This new approach to spontaneous-organisation management has generated remarkable effects. Improved spontaneous organisation promises to boost production quality and efficiency, two aspects which had fallen into a major slump when spontaneous organisation was not working properly. Originality/value: The paper examines through TenarisDalmine's experience a method that enabled the company to go beyond traditional behavioural approaches and increase the workers' commitment to safety, sharing the common zero-accident goal. (Contains 1 note, 3 tables and 3 figures.)