Why Is The Hierarchy Of Control So Ineffective Time to commit ‘Safety Sacrilege’! Where would Safety be without it’s Sexy Curves and Pyramids? See also: Risk and Safety Matrices and the Psychology of Colour For most, safety is about controlling hazards and the tool of choice is the Hierarchy of … [Read more...] about Why Is The Hierarchy Of Control So Ineffective?
Safety systems
Systems Serve Humans not Humans Serve Systems
Systems Serve Humans not Humans Serve Systems There is nothing wrong with having systems or checklists, nor technology to assist such (see “Who Said We Don’t Need Systems”). However, when those systems and checklists become an ‘end’ in themselves they take on a ‘force’ and ‘energy’ of their own. … [Read more...] about Systems Serve Humans not Humans Serve Systems
Systems as Imagined v Systems in Practice
WHS Lawyer Greg Smith, using a recent court decision, highlights the disparity between theory and reality and the fact that all your comprehensive paperwork may not CYA but create an illusion of safety rather than real evidence of it. This was first posted on Greg’s Blog “My Safety Thoughts” here: … [Read more...] about Systems as Imagined v Systems in Practice
Are we victims of our own safety systems?
Are we victims of our own safety systems? Guest post Health and safety is perceived by lots of people as a boring subject, but who is primarily responsible for that...who wrote the procedures? Lots of personality and behaviour profiling studies have revealed that the majority of safety … [Read more...] about Are we victims of our own safety systems?
How to Handle Safety System Paradoxes
Just found this hidden gem by Wade Needham here on LinkedIn How to Handle Safety System Paradoxes As you get promoted it's easier to take control, to control more of your world they said, well, ‘they’ were wrong. The easy answer to a complex or wicked problem is almost always wrong, if not … [Read more...] about How to Handle Safety System Paradoxes
The Sky Is Falling!!
I really enjoyed this recent article by Ron Gantt (first published here). There are so many old parables like this one and The Emperor Has No Clothes that are very analogous to the traditional (and, in some cases, modern) safety management approach and, upon reflection, help to illustrate its … [Read more...] about The Sky Is Falling!!
The Safety Paperwork Myth
Great article by Health and Safety Lawyer Greg Smith recent published here on his blog: My Safety Thoughts. Look out for Greg’s new book, co-authored with Dr Rob Long (due out in June): “Risky Conversations, The Law, Social Psychology and Risk” – I’ve had a sneak preview and it is an absolute … [Read more...] about The Safety Paperwork Myth
Construction workers safer when they ditch the manual: study
Construction workers safer when they ditch the manual: study We all know (or suspect) that safety manuals really aren’t designed for ease of worker use and effectiveness but rather to comply with legislation, to pass audits and win tenders – the very cynical may use terms like “Cover Your Arse”. … [Read more...] about Construction workers safer when they ditch the manual: study
Do we really need “One More” safety brand?
Do we really need “One More” safety brand? I have just been reading an article by Kevin Jones of a “new model” of safety that the consulting firm Ernst & Young are about to launch onto the safety world. The value of this new approach, which they have termed “Plus One”, is that it apparently … [Read more...] about Do we really need “One More” safety brand?
Safety-1, Safety-2, Safety-3
Safety-1, Safety-2, Safety-3 The idea that there are two safeties endorses a binary mindset that supposes that the second safety is radically different from the first. The general idea is that Safety-1 is a system that focuses only on what goes wrong, Safety-2 is a system that focuses on what goes … [Read more...] about Safety-1, Safety-2, Safety-3