• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SafetyRisk.net

Humanising Safety and Embracing Real Risk

  • Home
    • About
      • Privacy Policy
      • Contact
  • FREE
    • Slogans
      • Researchers Reveal the Top 10 Most Effective Safety Slogans Of All Time
      • When Slogans Don’t Work
      • CLASSIC, FAMOUS and INFAMOUS SAFETY QUOTES
      • 500 OF THE BEST AND WORST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
      • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
      • COVID-19 (Coronavirus, Omicron) Health and Safety Slogans and Quotes for the Workplace
      • Safety Acronyms
      • You know Where You Can Stick Your Safety Slogans
      • Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple
      • Spanish Safety Slogans – Consignas de seguridad
      • Safety Slogans List
      • Road Safety Slogans 2023
      • How to write your own safety slogans
      • Why Are Safety Slogans Important
      • Safety Slogans Don’t Save Lives
      • 40 Free Safety Slogans For the Workplace
      • Safety Slogans for Work
    • FREE SAFETY eBOOKS
    • Free Hotel and Resort Risk Management Checklist
    • FREE DOWNLOADS
    • TOP 50
    • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS
    • Find a Safety Consultant
    • Free Safety Program Documents
    • Psychology Of Safety
    • Safety Ideas That Work
    • HEALTH and SAFETY MANUALS
    • FREE SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT RESOURCES
    • Whats New In Safety
    • FUN SAFETY STUFF
    • Health and Safety Training
    • SAFETY COURSES
    • Safety Training Needs Analysis and Matrix
    • Top 20 Safety Books
    • This Toaster Is Hot
    • Free Covid-19 Toolbox Talks
    • Download Page – Please Be Patient With Larger Files…….
    • SAFETY IMAGES, Photos, Unsafe Pictures and Funny Fails
    • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators
    • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • Social Psychology Of Risk
    • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
    • Safety Psychology Terminology
    • Some Basics on Social Psychology & Risk
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk – Prof Karl E. Weick
    • The Psychology of Leadership in Risk
    • Conducting a Psychology and Culture Safety Walk
    • The Psychology of Conversion – 20 Tips to get Started
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk And Safety
    • Psychology and safety
    • The Psychology of Safety
    • Hot Toaster
    • TALKING RISK VIDEOS
    • WHAT IS SAFETY
    • THE HOT TOASTER
    • THE ZERO HARM DEBATE
    • SEMIOTICS
    • LEADERSHIP
  • Dr Long Posts
    • ALL POSTS
    • Learning Styles Matter
    • There is no Hierarchy of Controls
    • Scaffolding, Readiness and ZPD in Learning
    • What Can Safety Learn From Playschool?
    • Presentation Tips for Safety People
    • Dialogue Do’s and Don’ts
    • It’s Only a Symbol
    • Ten Cautions About Safety Checklists
    • Zero is Unethical
    • First Report on Zero Survey
    • There is No Objectivity, Deal With it!
  • THEMES
    • Risk Myths
    • Safety Myths
    • Safety Culture Silences
    • Safety Culture
    • Psychological Health and Safety
    • Zero Harm
    • Due Diligence
  • Free Learning
    • Introduction to SPoR – Free
    • FREE RISK and SAFETY EBOOKS
    • FREE ebook – Guidance for the beginning OHS professional
    • Free EBook – Effective Safety Management Systems
    • Free EBook – Lessons I Have Learnt
  • Psychosocial Safety
    • What is Psychosocial Safety
    • Psychological Safety
      • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
      • Managing psychosocial hazards at work
      • Psychological Safety – has it become the next Maslow’s hammer?
      • What is Psychosocial Safety
      • Psychological Safety Slogans and Quotes
      • What is Psychological Safety?
      • Understanding Psychological Terminology
      • Psycho-Social and Socio-Psychological, What’s the Difference?
      • Build a Psychologically Safe Workplace by Taking Risks and Analysing Failures
      • It’s not weird – it’s a psychological safety initiative!
You are here: Home / CLLR / Bridging the Disciplines for Better Outcomes

Bridging the Disciplines for Better Outcomes

January 13, 2020 by Dr Rob Long 4 Comments

imageOne of the challenges of a closed knowledge culture is that such will not help us meet the needs of the future. Whether one understands intractable complexity as a ‘wicked problem’ or just complexity there is no doubt that the days of silos and closed disciplines are over. What we observe in the movement for transdisciplinarity (https://safetyrisk.net/transdisciplinarity-and-worldviews-in-risk/ ) is an openness to bridge across knowledge cultures and the boundaries of professionalization in order to find mature outcomes.

There is little doubt that we live in a time of knowledge explosion, media ‘noise’, denial of disciplinary expertise and uncertainty. Some use the label VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) to capture such an understanding (https://hbr.org/2014/01/what-vuca-really-means-for-you).

In order to transverse across disciplines one needs to find something that all disciplines share in common, a language that they all use (even incompetently) and understand. This is of course the language of Metaphor and Semiotics. Whilst these are not studied in any STEM or safety curriculum as such, they are used extensively in communication. It is at this level where language can extend across the disciplines. This is the foundation of my colleague Craig Ashhurst’s recent PhD thesis (ANU). You can read some of Craig’s work here: Brown et.al, (2019) Independent Thinking in an Uncertain World, A Mind of One’s Own. Earthscan, London. (https://www.booktopia.com.au/independent-thinking-in-an-uncertain-world-valerie-a-brown/book/9781138387225.html )

Metaphor is critical for bridge building across the disciplines and as a starting point I recommend reading Lakoff and Johnson (https://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2013/cs7601_spring/papers/Lakoff_Johnson.pdf). Similarly, images, signs, symbols and cartographics can be studied in semiotics and here I would recommend Sebeok (https://monoskop.org/images/0/07/Sebeok_Thomas_Signs_An_Introduction_to_Semiocs_2nd_ed_2001.pdf).

If ever there was a need to understand the language of metaphor and semiotics the time is now. Until this happens we are going to end up in safety with appalling metaphors like ‘engineering’ applied to the ecology of resilience and a host of metaphors that evidence a closed knowledge culture. Similarly, we see metaphors of the military and warfare being applied to risk and safety.

When one is immersed in a Masculinist Ethic no wonder such metaphors are made the raison d’être for Ethics and Professional Practice (https://safetyrisk.net/ethics-morality-and-an-ethic-of-risk/ ). Have a look at the recent BoK publication by the AIHS Ethics and Professional Practice and look for some key words: ‘Helping’? Not there, ‘Care’ as a value? Not there. ‘Wisdom’? Not There. ‘Personhood’? Not There. ‘Learning’ as a value? Not There. ‘Fallibility’ Not there. ‘Vulnerability’? Not There. ‘Paradox’? Not there. ‘Ambiguity’? Not There. ‘Love’? Not there. Indeed, many metaphors one would expect to be discussed in a publication on Ethics are simply not there. Perhaps have a look for some other words: ‘Power’ 12 mentions. ‘Control’? 20 mentions. ‘Compliance’? 10 mentions, ‘Duty’ 21 mentions and so on. You get the idea. The BoK publication is classic Masculinist Utilitarian ethics, just not declared so.

Of course the worst metaphor and semiotic for the industry to anchor to is zero (http://visionzero.global/node/6) but this is what a Masculinist Ethic demands (https://safetyrisk.net/what-is-your-safety-ethos/). There is nothing about the metaphor and ideology of Zero that assists the industry in either humanizing or tackling risk. The language, semiotics and metaphor of zero only serves to cement in place the vice of Brutalism. Under the guise of zero ‘do the right thing’ (https://safetyrisk.net/doing-the-right-thing/) becomes nothing more than policing and regulatory capture. The elephant in the room in the BoK on Ethics is zero! And there is simply no discussion of this toxic ideology anywhere to be seen. The publication is nothing more than a dance about critical issues without embracing some of the biggest Transdisciplinary challenges facing the industry.

If you wish to study Transdisciplinarity in Risk there is a workshop available in Canberra on 3,4 February 2020: https://spor.com.au/home/one-week-intensive-2-modules-february-2020/

  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
  • More about Rob
Dr Rob Long

Dr Rob Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions
Dr Rob Long

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

  • Not Just Another ‘Hazard’ - February 3, 2023
  • How to Be Oriented Towards Psychosocial and Mental Health in Safety - February 2, 2023
  • Free Download – Real Risk – New Book by Dr Robert Long - February 2, 2023
  • ISO 45003 and What it Cannot Do - February 1, 2023
  • Harming People in the Name of Good - January 31, 2023
Dr Rob Long
PhD., MEd., MOH., BEd., BTh., Dip T., Dip Min., Cert IV TAA, MRMIA Rob is the founder of Human Dymensions and has extensive experience, qualifications and expertise across a range of sectors including government, education, corporate, industry and community sectors over 30 years. Rob has worked at all levels of the education and training sector including serving on various post graduate executive, post graduate supervision, post graduate course design and implementation programs.

Please share our posts

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: CLLR, Robert Long, Semiotics, Social Psychology of Risk Tagged With: Bok, transdisciplinary approach, wicked problems

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. bernardcorden says

    February 13, 2020 at 6:49 PM

    The AIHS BoK publication on ethics and professional practice is merely an opprobrium littered with intellectual dishonesty and academic cowardice.

    Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes – Mahatma Gandhi

    Reply
    • Rob Long says

      February 13, 2020 at 8:57 PM

      Bernard, it serves the purpose of the AIHS which is to ensure nothing changes and zero reigns supreme. But as far as Ethics goes it is extremely closed and shallow. If you are not interested in dialogue and debate that works well.

      Reply
  2. bernardcorden says

    January 13, 2020 at 9:22 AM

    The AIHS BoK publication on ethics and professional practice is merely an opprobrium littered with intellectual dishonesty and academic cowardice.

    Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes – Mahatma Gandhi

    Reply
    • Rob Long says

      January 14, 2020 at 8:29 AM

      Bernard, it serves the purpose of the AIHS which is to ensure nothing changes and zero reigns supreme. But as far as Ethics goes it is extremely closed and shallow. If you are not interested in dialogue and debate that works well.

      Reply

Do you have any thoughts? Please share them below Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Search and Discover More on this Site

Never miss a post - Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,499 other subscribers

RECOMMENDED READING

viral post – iso 45003 and what it cannot do

Introduction to SPOR – FREE!!

Psychosocial Safety and Mental Health Series

Not Just Another ‘Hazard’

Psychosocial Safety, Is it possible to make it culturally normal?

How to Be Oriented Towards Psychosocial and Mental Health in Safety

ISO 45003 and What it Cannot Do

The KISS of Death in Safety

Behavioural Safety is NOT a Foundation for Tackling Psychosocial and Mental Health

The Worst Approach to Psychosocial Problems is an Attitude of ‘Fixing’

The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health

Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)

No Good Reason to Follow Reason

More Posts from this Category

NEW! Free Download

Please take our 2 minute zero survey

Recent Comments

  • Matt Thorne on Psychosocial Safety, Is it possible to make it culturally normal?
  • simon p cassin on Psychosocial Safety, Is it possible to make it culturally normal?
  • Hurak Learning on How to Be Oriented Towards Psychosocial and Mental Health in Safety
  • Rob Long on An Advanced Understanding of Culture – A Video
  • Paul Gentles on An Advanced Understanding of Culture – A Video
  • Brent Charlton on The KISS of Death in Safety
  • Rob Long on The KISS of Death in Safety
  • Brian Edwin Darlington on The KISS of Death in Safety
  • Brian on The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health
  • Jaise on The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health
  • Rob Long on Posture Myths and Holistic Ergonomics
  • Linda McKendry on Posture Myths and Holistic Ergonomics
  • Rob long on Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Matt Thorne on Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Anonymous on Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Jason on How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Rob Long on How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Admin on How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Rob Long on 400,000 Free Downloads
  • Gustavo Saralegui on 400,000 Free Downloads

FREE eBOOK DOWNLOADS

Footer

VIRAL POST – The Risk Matrix Myth

Top Posts & Pages. Sad that most are so dumb but this is what safety luves

  • 500 OF THE BEST AND WORST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
  • Proving Safety
  • Free Safety Moments and Toolbox Talk Examples, Tips and Resources
  • Road Safety Slogans 2023
  • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
  • ISO 45003 and What it Cannot Do
  • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • NATIONAL SAFETY DAY/WEEK IN INDIA 2023
  • 15 Safety Precautions When Working With Electricity
  • How to Be Oriented Towards Psychosocial and Mental Health in Safety

Recent Posts

  • Not Just Another ‘Hazard’
  • Psychosocial Safety, Is it possible to make it culturally normal?
  • How to Be Oriented Towards Psychosocial and Mental Health in Safety
  • Free Download – Real Risk – New Book by Dr Robert Long
  • Proving Safety
  • ISO 45003 and What it Cannot Do
  • Harming People in the Name of Good
  • An Advanced Understanding of Culture – A Video
  • Risk and Safety Maturity
  • The KISS of Death in Safety
  • SPoR, Metanoia and a Podcast on Change with Nippin Anand
  • Behavioural Safety is NOT a Foundation for Tackling Psychosocial and Mental Health
  • The Worst Approach to Psychosocial Problems is an Attitude of ‘Fixing’
  • SPoR Comes to Vienna June 2023
  • The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health
  • Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • The Visionary Imagination – Louisa Lawson
  • Heaven ‘n Hell and the Safety Religion
  • Confirmity in Conformity
  • Numerology and Psychic Numbing
  • Thinking of Mortality
  • Safety is the Wrong Anchor
  • Foresight Blindness, Hindsight Bias and Risk
  • Getting the Balance Right in Tackling Risk
  • What is SPoR?
  • How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Afraid to Let Go of What Doesn’t Work in Safety
  • When You Don’t Know What to do in Safety, Have Another Blitz!!!
  • Gloves and Glasses Compliance
  • A Case of Desensitisation – What Would You Do?
  • How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • The Mythic Symbology of Safety
  • Dark Waters, The True Story of DuPont and Zero
  • 400,000 Free Downloads
  • Am I stupid? I didn’t think of that…
  • Don’t Look Now Safety, Your Metaphor is Showing
  • Ratio Delusions and Heinrich’s Hoax
  • To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • Culture as a Wicked Problem, for Safety
  • Safety Leadership Training
  • Cultural Orientation in Risk
  • The Stanford Experiment and The Social Psychology of Risk
  • Objectivity, Audits and Attribution When Calculating Risk
  • Records of safety activities: evidence of safety or non-compliance?
  • Zero, The Seeking of Infinity
  • Safety Leadership Essentials
  • What Can Indiana Jones Tell Us About Culture
  • Safety as a Worldview
  • The Loathing of Limits
  • Culture Cannot be Framed Through Safety

VIRAL POST!!! HOW TO QUIT THE SAFETY INDUSTRY

FEATURED POSTS

Investigations and Truth Telling

Right Then Children, Sit Up Straight and Take Some Safety

It Works! A New Approach to Risk and Safety

I Wasn’t Thinking Mr Spock

The Myth of Fast and Slow Thinking

Adverse Events: Eliminate or Anticipate?

Paralysis by Precaution

The New Enemy of Safety – The Unconscious

The 10 Behaviours of the Safety Sociopath

Its All In The Sign

The Moment of Decision in Safety

Desensitisation–the by-product of ill-conceived safety initiatives

Abduction in Risk and Safety

What Safety and Risk Could Learn From Patch Adams

Ten Secrets to Risk and Safety Motivation and Ownership

Fear of Being-in-the-World

TRIFR Safety Zombies

The Unconscious and the Soap Dispenser

The Measurement Mindset in Safety???

Social Psychology of Risk Workshop-Sydney

Embodiment, Risk and Safety

Leadership, Risk and the Zone of Reciprocal Relationship

Report on SPoR Convention 2018

The Primacy of Play in Learning

The De-Ethicization of the Object in Safety

When ‘Hearts and Minds’ are not ‘Hearts and Minds’

Risk as a ‘Leap of Faith’

History and Safety

Bounded Rationality–How Can Too Much Safety Be Bad For You?

International Workshops – Belgium

Starting Points, Worldviews and Risk

There is no ‘Satellite Insightfulness’

The Rational, aRational and Irrational in Safety

What Does Your Risk and Safety Icon Say?

Coronavirus and the Dunny Paper Effect

The Ethics of Safety

There is no way I would do that!

Social Psychology of Risk – Body of Knowledge

Free Online Workshops

C. G. Jung on Risk and Safety

More Posts from this Category

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,499 other subscribers

How we pay for the high cost of running of this site – try it for free on your site

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY?

What is Psychological Safety at Work?


WHAT IS PSYCHOSOCIAL SAFETY