Grade One Lessons in Culture I picked up my granddaughter from school the other day and she showed me her work and it was delightful to see what they have been doing in Grade One in Primary School on culture. What a shame we don’t do such work with people in risk and safety. Instead, safety … [Read more...] about Grade One Lessons in Culture
Semiotics
The Search for Meaning in Safety Models
There is a huge chasm between three things: the intent and design (assumed philosophy) of a model, the semiotic diffusion of the model and what humans make of the model. Models and symbols are not neutral nor objective. All models are semiotics and as such seek to explain the inexplicable. This is … [Read more...] about The Search for Meaning in Safety Models
This Is Not A Pipe
In a recent blog by Dr Rob Long, “Myths and Symbols In Safety”, Rob has stirred some great discussions about myths and symbols in safety. Rob is polemic in nature and writes in a way to give pause to think. And to state is upfront, Rob is a friend and mentor and I study with him via the CLLR … [Read more...] about This Is Not A Pipe
The Sacred Bra Tree
The Sacred Bra Tree “When we begin to understand the significance of Bra Trees and roadside memorials then we might learn something about culture and why zero is such a dangerous sacrament” It’s not likely that you have ever seen a ‘Bra Tree’, a rare species of Australian eucalyptus in the … [Read more...] about The Sacred Bra Tree
Safety as a Masculinist Activity
Every time we run a program or workshop the number of females that attend is quite low. Indeed, it is extremely difficult to find women who have stayed long in the safety industry. It is also difficult to find any women in the safety industry who openly profess a Feminist ethic. A recent report … [Read more...] about Safety as a Masculinist Activity
Linguistics and Safety
When I was teaching Linguistics in Secondary and Tertiary contexts, I would always repeat the well-known aphorism: ‘say what you mean and mean what you say’. How unfortunate that the safety industry has no interest in Linguistics and thinks it is fine to speak gobbledygook to people … [Read more...] about Linguistics and Safety
There is no Hierarchy of Controls
Whilst some models are helpful they are never accurate. Models are symbols/myths that convey a semiotic purpose but in themselves ought not to be considered absolute. This is why we find metaphors and symbols helpful, neither are scientific or accurate but serve as a guide that is interpreted. Such … [Read more...] about There is no Hierarchy of Controls
Culture Silences in Safety – Semiotics
As we close out this series on Cultural Silences in Safety I can think of a no more important issue than semiotics. I’d like a dollar for every email and request I get from safety people who want training, coaching, education and learning in Semiotics. The neglect of this Discipline in particular … [Read more...] about Culture Silences in Safety – Semiotics
Understanding Safety Myths
Understanding Safety Myths The term ‘mythology’ is not understood well and is associated with the idea of legend/fairy tale but that’s not its meaning. It is certainly not how myth is defined in social psychology. Mythology is really a set of beliefs supported by semiotics (symbol systems) and … [Read more...] about Understanding Safety Myths
Culture Silences in Safety – Stress, Personality and Behaviours
In all the mythology projected by BBS (the darling of safety) you never read about the subjectivities of perception, aberrations of behaviour or how personality/temperament determination enactment. The crazy assertion of BBS is that behaviours in themselves are somehow objective, when they are not. … [Read more...] about Culture Silences in Safety – Stress, Personality and Behaviours
