I read a recent article by Alan Quilley (http://www.safetyresults.ca/) on measuring safety by injury rate and was fascinated by the logic. I enjoyed the video on regression to the mean (Prevention of Incidents VS Creating Safety) and the discussion on injury goals. But I thought Alan, you have all … [Read more...] about Measurement in Safety, You’ve Got it All Wrong
Safety Statistics
Numerology and Psychic Numbing
Numerology and Psychic Numbing Numerology is the belief in a mystical relationship between numbers and events. I can remember as a kid being challenged by the coincidence between numbers and events, later learning that the fascination between numbers and proofs dates back to the Early … [Read more...] about Numerology and Psychic Numbing
Injury Rates Are Up, You’re Sacked
Injury Rates Are Up, You’re Sacked One of the perpetually grand delusions of Safety is that injury rates define safety. I have known some amazing, skilled, caring and helping people in safety over the last few years and all have left the industry. Most were sacked because injury rates went up. One … [Read more...] about Injury Rates Are Up, You’re Sacked
Injury Rates and the Danger of Eating Sultanas
Injury Rates and the Danger of Eating Sultanas We read recently of the rise in car crashes In Australia caused by eating sultanas. Of course you have to laugh because this is the same binary logic that dominates the safety industry as a reality, driven by Zero. Tim Minchin also captures this error … [Read more...] about Injury Rates and the Danger of Eating Sultanas
Injury Rates, what do they mean for Boards and Risk and Safety Practitioners
Injury Rates, what do they mean for Boards and Risk and Safety Practitioners Today's drop with Matt Thorne from RiskDiversity, Dave Whitefield from Semiosphere and Andrew Thornhillfrom Clarity Enabled, all of us in 3 Small Chat Rooms. “Injury Rates, what do they mean for Boards and … [Read more...] about Injury Rates, what do they mean for Boards and Risk and Safety Practitioners
FIGJAM Safety
FIGJAM Safety I get one of these silly dumb memes in my inbox each week. Yet on going evidence of the unprofessional dumb nature of Safety. Nothing is more dangerous to safety than the arrogance, cockiness, false consciousness … [Read more...] about FIGJAM Safety
The Delusion of Numbers and a Number of Delusions
The Delusion of Numbers and a Number of Delusions I have a friend who was recently threatened with the sack for challenging the delusion that injury rates represent something, safety. The attribution of significance to any number is a reflection of the ideology of the speaker not reality. Numbers … [Read more...] about The Delusion of Numbers and a Number of Delusions
Desensitization, Statistics and the Psychic Numbing of Numerics
One of the lessons Safety continually doesn’t learn is that numerics, metrics and statistics desensitize people to caring. This is known as psychic numbing and has been well researched by Slovic and others … [Read more...] about Desensitization, Statistics and the Psychic Numbing of Numerics
Safety Whack-A-Mole… Blindfolded
by Jason Maldonado Sorry, Jason. She’s going to need bed rest!!!! I’d been sitting in a crowded waiting room for hours with Julie, one of the executive assistants on my project. Julie was a sweet woman with a mean streak. I learned early on that it was best to stay on her good side. And I always … [Read more...] about Safety Whack-A-Mole… Blindfolded
Quantifying the Unquantifiable
In every workshop I conduct the issue of measures, a STEM view of evidence and ‘controls’ are always raised. This week was no exception. I find it so amusing that the industry has this fixation with measures in working life and the opposite in our private life. Yet: The most important things in … [Read more...] about Quantifying the Unquantifiable
