History and Hindsight in Safety In this post I wish to continue the discussion about significance through a discussion of history. It was Weick who said: ‘I don’t know what I believe until I see what I do’. In other words, everything we ‘know’ is retrospective. Humans have unlimited hindsight but … [Read more...] about History and Hindsight in Safety
Safety Culture
Understanding Safety as a Cultural Reproductive Process
One of the most useful understandings we gain from Marxist and post-Marxist readings on culture is the idea of ‘cultural reproduction’. This is never discussed in any Safety text on culture (https://safetyrisk.net/culture-silence-in-safety-cultural-capital/ ). The reproduction of culture is … [Read more...] about Understanding Safety as a Cultural Reproductive Process
We are all equal
I am a person that works in the safety department. I have carried many different titles over the years. (Safety officer, safety advisor, safety specialist, safety manager, safety business partner) to name a few. I have heard many people come into a company and say I am here to change the culture. … [Read more...] about We are all equal
Beyond ‘What We Do Around Here’
Beyond ‘What We Do Around Here’: Why a Deeper Look at Organisational Culture is Crucial for Risk and Safety. By Andrew Thornhill – first published here In risk and safety, culture is often defined as ‘what we do around here’. In this blog we examine the origin of this definition, how it omits … [Read more...] about Beyond ‘What We Do Around Here’
Creating Myths and Rituals in Safety
The test of how ‘religious’ someone is about anything is to see what they can do without or compromise on (what they make sacred or taboo). Just ask a sports fan to take down their poster of their favourite team. Just suggest to someone that something they are attached to and anchored to, be taken … [Read more...] about Creating Myths and Rituals in Safety
How NOT to do Anything About Culture in Building and Construction
How NOT to do Anything About Culture in Building and Construction The recently released Culture Standard for the Construction Industry (https://www.cultureinconstruction.com.au/culture-standard/ ) is a classic example of how to look like culture is identified and being addressed, when it is not. … [Read more...] about How NOT to do Anything About Culture in Building and Construction
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
Gesture and Symbol in Safety, the Force of Culture
We know in the study of culture, that culture cannot be conceptualised or learned propositionally. This is why Safety is so happy to declare culture non-understandable, ‘cloudy’ and confusing (eg. Hopkins, Busch etc.). Just don’t talk about it. When you take an engineering and behaviourist lens … [Read more...] about Gesture and Symbol in Safety, the Force of Culture
What Can ‘Safety’ Learn From a Rock?
What Can ‘Safety’ Learn From a Rock? I live in Australia, a country inhabited by people from many cultures, a country with a strong indigenous history and a country with a geography that is well summed up by poet Dorothea Mackellar in her poem My Country; “I love a sunburnt country, A land of … [Read more...] about What Can ‘Safety’ Learn From a Rock?
Jingoism is NOT Culture, but it is for Safety
If you want to know about culture it’s best not to read mythology peddled by Safety. There is no better example of this than this a recent piece in the SHP Practitioner (UK). One thing is for sure, when Safety spins out nonsense like this you know the opposite is the reality. First some … [Read more...] about Jingoism is NOT Culture, but it is for Safety
