You have to hand it to Safety, the great myth maker of all time. The constant speaker of nonsense to people (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-experts-in-speaking-nonsense-to-people/). Of course, this is from an industry that has no cognizance of linguistics, the effect or trajectory of … [Read more...] about It is NOT My Responsibility to Keep You Safe
Mental health
The KISS of Death in Safety
I came across this Safety ‘goop’ a few weeks ago that serves as a good example of the nature of indoctrination in this industry (https://www.qmihsconference.org.au/wp-content/uploads/qmihsc-2008-writtenpaper-reynoldson.pdf). One of the most reliable things in safety and characteristic of its … [Read more...] about The KISS of Death in Safety
Is Your Safety World Too Small?
This meme (See Figure 1. Male and Female Safety) was circulated into my feed yesterday and it makes a great point. More women die in domestic violence in Australia than people killed in workplace accidents. Yet, the key definition of safety and the value of safety … [Read more...] about Is Your Safety World Too Small?
You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time
One of the favourite pastimes of Safety is parading ignorance as expertise. We see this constantly with engineers writing on culture and psychosocial health. We even get Safety running programs on learning that have nothing to do with learning nor education. Ah, this is the Safety Way. I was … [Read more...] about You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time
When Safety (Zero) is Abusive
We learn from Gabor Mate that trauma is the foundation of suffering and harm. In his movie The Wisdom of Trauma we learn how extremisms creates harm and suffering. Safety in zero is one such extremism. The Wisdom of Trauma should be mandatory viewing for any safety person. Of course … [Read more...] about When Safety (Zero) is Abusive
Hands Up the Best Safety Fraud!
In the Safety tradition of speaking nonsense to people here is the latest from IOSH: ‘We must predict to be preventative’ Of course, the same tradition upholds the idea that Safety is entitled to present or write on matter in which it has the least expertise, knowledge and experience. This is … [Read more...] about Hands Up the Best Safety Fraud!
Communicating Professionally in Risk
The foundations of communicating and messaging is: framing, priming, pitching, anchoring, reframing and suspending agenda. We learn this in many SPoR programs as a foundation for understanding communication and influencing effectiveness. We use a simple tool shown at Figure 1. Language … [Read more...] about Communicating Professionally in Risk
How NOT to be Professional in Safety
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
Celebrating 60 Years of Lifeline
It was an absolute pleasure to participate in celebrations of Lifeline on its 60th birthday celebrations (https://60years.lifeline.org.au/) this week. The wonderful thing about Lifeline is that they save lives but don’t brag about ‘saving lives’. The last thing one ever needs in the work of mental … [Read more...] about Celebrating 60 Years of Lifeline
Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
One of the foundations in the development of Social Psychology was the study of the Nazis and in-group and out-groupness. Most Histories of Social Psychology trace its roots back to Kurt Lewin. Lewin (a Jew) like many of the founders of Social Psychology like Milgram, Zimbardo etc. simply … [Read more...] about Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness