The Social Politics of Safety All organizing is social and political and seeks to create order (equivocality) through language, symbols and discourse. How we organize through systems economically and historically creates the politics of governance. One cannot talk about governance without … [Read more...] about The Social Politics of Safety
Zero Vision but Purchase Insurance
Zero Vision but Purchase Insurance One of the realities of maturity in fallibility is understanding finiteness, vulnerability and risk. The profession of infallibility is a sign of a mental health problem. It’s because we don’t talk non-sense to ourselves that we purchase insurance. It’s because … [Read more...] about Zero Vision but Purchase Insurance
Safety’s Garden of Eden Complex
Safety’s Garden of Eden Complex One of the enduring myths of the risk and safety industry is the naive belief in paradise. Paradise is that mythical place where no-ne will be harmed. We see this nonsense yearning for utopia demonstrated in the Bradley Curve and the ideological nonsense of zero … [Read more...] about Safety’s Garden of Eden Complex
The Zero Hypocrisy
The Zero Hypocrisy Surprise surprise, we find out that CEOs in many tier 1 organisations are on obscene salaries: The Gaurdian - CEOs don't understand how angry workers feel about executive pay These are the same organisations that preach zero to workers but seek forgiveness and understanding when … [Read more...] about The Zero Hypocrisy
Understanding Just Culture
Understanding Just Culture The idea of Just Culture is not a neutral concept. Within the mechanistic worldview of safety and positivism Just Culture often is defined to mean ‘fair systems’ or ‘low-blame’ systems. This is evident in many presentations on Just Culture including the following … [Read more...] about Understanding Just Culture
Overcoming Safety Indoctrination
Overcoming Safety Indoctrination When I do training, so much of the first day is about unlearning much of the safety mis-education that has been fed to safety people by curricula that is simply nonsense. It is amazing how people are so sponge-like and lacking critical thinking in the safety sphere. … [Read more...] about Overcoming Safety Indoctrination
The Doctrine of Atonement for Safety People
The Doctrine of Atonement for Safety People I was sent this one from a safety conference this week and just couldn’t pass up a comment on its absurdity. First of all Safety saves no-one and the language of salvation belongs elsewhere not at a safety conference (and people wonder why I present … [Read more...] about The Doctrine of Atonement for Safety People
Blind Faith in Safety
Blind Faith in Safety If you are a child of the 1970s you will know of one of the greatest bands of all time – Blind Faith. One of the first ‘super groups’ comprised of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood and Ric Grech. Blind Faith formed in 1968 from the break up of the first ‘super group’ … [Read more...] about Blind Faith in Safety
Target Trade-Offs and Numeric Goals
Target Trade-Offs and Numeric Goals We learn recently that Victorian Police – a supposed institution of trust, has fabricated numbers over the past 5 years in order to meet targets. It is reported today that Victoria Police have fabricated 258,000 breath tests in order to meet targets. How is this … [Read more...] about Target Trade-Offs and Numeric Goals
Forking Safety
Forking Safety It’s not that often that Safework can give you a chuckle, most times what circulates is more a recipe for acute depression. However, this time a laugh is warranted … [Read more...] about Forking Safety