Ditch the Swiss-Cheese if You Want to Understand Causality

The swiss-cheese metaphor and semiotic is NOT a scientific or logical model of representative connection to reality. The swiss-cheese is a concoction of James Reason to try and explain his linear worldview of accidents and prevention. We saw this recently with Cooper’s identical model (https://safetyrisk.net/no-taming-or-fixing-wicked-problems/).

The swiss-cheese explains nothing about causality indeed, it imposes a fake reality onto understanding events that is dangerous. The reality is that: life is messy, events unfold in many layers, many that can’t be seen at the time of the event and, any problems associated with fallible humans tends to be ‘wicked’ (https://safetyrisk.net/no-taming-or-fixing-wicked-problems/).

There is nothing creative, innovative or helpful in any of the semiotics invented by the likes of Reason or Heinrich. The development of semiotics in safety by people with no expertise in semiotics, demonstrates little more than the arrogance of an industry asserting what it doesn’t know. The same could easily be attributed to the linear bow-tie or silly risk-matrix that Safety adores but hold no realistic connection to how events happen or any remote likeness to causality or risk. Yet, somehow Safety thinks because it ‘saves lives’, is entitled to venture into many areas with zero expertise because the power of salvation justifies safety righteousness. Oh yes, believe in zero and thou shalt be saved!

If one is looking for a better representation of causality or how events unfold, the following is a much better representation if one must use the swiss-cheese metaphor.

However, even the idea of holes in swiss-cheese to explain prevention and barriers, is unhelpful compared to other possible semiotics.

A study of semiotics ought to be foundational for anyone who wants to understand the effectiveness or not of signs, icons, symbols and meaning.

When the linear swiss-cheese, dominoes or bow-tie are used to view the world, an instant blindness is created. These silly metaphors and symbols blind investigation and interrogation strategy. When using such models one can only see what fits the linear model. One even imagines that events unfold in the order that the swiss-cheese demands. One then ends up with proposed solutions that fit the model not a strategy that resembles reality. No wonder Safety loves Reason and Heinrich, it ensures the continuation of fake realities and a worldview that enjoys its own power and mythology.

If you are interested in studying semiotics and the realities of how events unfold then perhaps come to one of the workshops being conducted soon by Dr Nippin Anand in London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Canberra or Perth (https://safetyrisk.net/workshops-dr-nippin-anand-hong-kong-singapore-canberra-melbourne/).

In these workshops you will unlearn constraints of common models of investigation and learn much better practical and positive methods that help tackle risk and map investigations.

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Dr Rob Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

• When Risk Doesn’t Make Sense - December 7, 2024
• How to Enable Unethical Practice in Safety - December 7, 2024
• Mapping an Ethic of Risk - December 6, 2024
• Principles for Safety - December 6, 2024
• Causation Myths, Stop Looking for Linear and Root Cause - December 4, 2024

PhD., MEd., MOH., BEd., BTh., Dip T., Dip Min., Cert IV TAA, MRMIA Rob is the founder of Human Dymensions and has extensive experience, qualifications and expertise across a range of sectors including government, education, corporate, industry and community sectors over 30 years. Rob has worked at all levels of the education and training sector including serving on various post graduate executive, post graduate supervision, post graduate course design and implementation programs.