The recognition of heuristics as the foundation for all human decision making is critical to skill development and implementation of SPoR (https://safetyrisk.net/spor-and-disposing-of-bad-myths/) in the workplace. One of the silly myths of behaviourism in safety is the complete ignorance of … [Read more...] about Tackling the Challenge of Heuristics in Safety
SAFETY MYTHS
The Myth of Normal
The work of Gabor Mate should be of interest to anyone in the sphere of HEALTH and safety. Mate (Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder; When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress; and In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction) reminds us … [Read more...] about The Myth of Normal
Culture Myths in Safety
The language of ‘culture’ is perhaps the most used and abused in the safety industry. Everyone seems to have a view of culture, the poorly educated and miseducated seem to make the most noise. One certainly gains little expertise in culture from studying engineering, safety or behaviourism. So, … [Read more...] about Culture Myths in Safety
Prophets to Safety Not, Profits from Safety Myths
When we look at the flood of ‘noise’ that bombards safety, the many gimmicks, slogans, symbols and myths, it’s challenging to cut through to the basics. When so much money is to be made in ‘easy pickings’ off an industry seeking ‘silver bullets’ (https://safetyrisk.net/the-silver-bullet/), it’s so … [Read more...] about Prophets to Safety Not, Profits from Safety Myths
More Realistic Swiss Cheese Symbol
Dr Rob Long’s recent Safety Myths Series touched quite a few nerves in the safety industry, particularly his piece: Myth and Symbols in Safety, where he suggested that we should deconstruct the projected ‘truths’ of linearity and causality of models such as Swiss Cheese, Dominoes, Bow Tie and … [Read more...] about More Realistic Swiss Cheese Symbol
Gimmicks and Myths of Avoidance in Safety
Someone sent me a thing the other day labelled as ‘brilliance’ and it was yet just another safety gimmick that yet again served as a distraction from discussing the essentials in safety – listening, helping, caring and learning. This is what safety does so well. It creates gimmicks and labels them … [Read more...] about Gimmicks and Myths of Avoidance in Safety
The Brain as Computer Myth
It is so attractive to develop simple binary models of human ‘being’ that are mythical/symbolic but NOT real. Eg. Human thinking is not fast and/or slow (https://safetyrisk.net/the-myth-of-fast-and-slow/). The implications of myth implies that people act on it. We witness this in any form of … [Read more...] about The Brain as Computer Myth
The Myth of Fast and Slow Thinking
I was reading a book on numerics and statistics this morning and the author quoted Kahneman (as fact) as if humans make decisions in two speeds. According to Kahneman’s binary ‘theory’ humans only make decisions at two speeds – slow/rational/analytical and fast/automatic. This is a myth, there is … [Read more...] about The Myth of Fast and Slow Thinking
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
SAFETY IS A MYTH, LONG LIVE SAFETY
In the recent days since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, much has been said regarding this. A particular post on Facebook from Australia journalist Van Badham particularly took my eye. The third point is particularly poignant to safety. Safety invests in its symbols with a different meaning … [Read more...] about SAFETY IS A MYTH, LONG LIVE SAFETY
