Imagine going to your parent teacher evening and sitting down to discuss your child’s progress at the school and professional teacher describes your child’s challenges in school as a ‘hazard’. Imagine your child is having issues with bullying and is upset about it and approaches a teacher who … [Read more...] about How NOT to be Professional in Safety
Why People Do As They Do
The mature study of the psychology of motivation ought to be foundational for any safety person. The foundation for understanding human motivation is one’s worldview and understanding of personhood. One thing is for sure, neither Behaviourism or BBS have a foggy clue about motivation. This … [Read more...] about Why People Do As They Do
The Ethic of ALARP and the Dilemma of Safety
One of the great things about the Regulation and the Act is the subjectivity of ALARP and Due Diligence. Both account for the beauty of human fallibility and the adaptability needed in tackling risk. Of course, there is no policy, law, regulation or standard that is absent of a moral philosophy. … [Read more...] about The Ethic of ALARP and the Dilemma of Safety
Hoodwinked by Heinrich
Hoodwinked by Heinrich I have written before about the Heinrich Hoax and Delusion (https://safetyrisk.net/ration-delusions-and-heinrichs-hoax/), the Heinrich Hoodoo (https://safetyrisk.net/the-heinrich-hoodoo/) and Heinrich Propaganda (https://safetyrisk.net/the-heinrich-hoodoo/). All this critique … [Read more...] about Hoodwinked by Heinrich
AI Mythology, Confirmation Bias and Safety
One of the skills in critical thinking is deconstructing assumptions underneath argument. This skill is essential when reading anything about AI and safety. It is critical in risk and safety to be able to deconstruct argument and discern Real Risk … [Read more...] about AI Mythology, Confirmation Bias and Safety
Zero Discourse and Perfectionism
Zero Discourse and Perfectionism Talking perfection to fallible people is not just silly, it is also dangerous (http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180219-toxic-perfectionism-is-on-the-rise). How strange that an industry so fixated on saving lives would unknowingly want to harm people! Yet, this is … [Read more...] about Zero Discourse and Perfectionism
Competing Values Framework and SPoR
The work of Cameron and Quinn (1999) and their Competing Values Framework (CVFs) should be essential research for anyone in risk and safety interested in culture particularly, the politics of culture. (Cameron, K., and Quinn, R., (1999). Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture, Based on the … [Read more...] about Competing Values Framework and SPoR
How Not to View Mental Health and Safety
How Not to View Mental Health and Safety The latest animated promo from Worksafe Victoria is yet another classic fail when it comes to understanding and tackling mental health. Why is it that Safety continues to go to dumb animations and semiotics that convey the opposite message for what is … [Read more...] about How Not to View Mental Health and Safety
Culture and Risk Workshop – Feedback
We recently completed a 5-session workshop on Culture and Risk with 50 highly experienced risk and safety people from across the globe. The program served as a taster for how SPoR understands culture. Normally the program delivery for the program is 3-5 days. The program commenced by each … [Read more...] about Culture and Risk Workshop – Feedback
The Myth of Certainty and Prediction in Risk
The myth of certainty proposes that life is knowable, predictable and manageable. Such certainty is not real but is believed and made true symbolically. This is what is observed in the use of the symbol of zero, the belief in the absolute and infinity, applied to fallible humans? The language of … [Read more...] about The Myth of Certainty and Prediction in Risk
