• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Safety Risk .net

Humanising Safety and Embracing Real Risk

  • Home
    • About
      • Privacy Policy
      • Contact
  • FREE
    • FREE SAFETY eBOOKS
    • Free Hotel and Resort Risk Management Checklist
    • FREE DOWNLOADS
    • TOP 50
    • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS
    • Find a Safety Consultant
    • Free Safety Program Documents
    • Psychology Of Safety
    • Safety Ideas That Work
    • HEALTH and SAFETY MANUALS
    • FREE SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT RESOURCES
    • Whats New In Safety
    • FUN SAFETY STUFF
    • Health and Safety Training
    • SAFETY COURSES
    • Safety Training Needs Analysis and Matrix
    • Top 20 Safety Books
    • This Toaster Is Hot
    • Free Covid-19 Toolbox Talks
    • Download Page – Please Be Patient With Larger Files…….
    • SAFETY IMAGES, Photos, Unsafe Pictures and Funny Fails
    • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators
    • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • PSYCH. OF SAFETY & RISK
    • What is Psychological Safety at Work?
    • Safety Psychology Terminology
    • Some Basics on Social Psychology & Risk
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk – Prof Karl E. Weick
    • The Psychology of Leadership in Risk
    • Conducting a Psychology and Culture Safety Walk
    • The Psychology of Conversion – 20 Tips to get Started
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk And Safety
    • Psychology and safety
    • The Psychology of Safety
    • Hot Toaster
    • TALKING RISK VIDEOS
    • WHAT IS SAFETY
    • THE HOT TOASTER
    • THE ZERO HARM DEBATE
    • SEMIOTICS
    • LEADERSHIP
  • Robert Long
    • ALL POSTS
    • Learning Styles Matter
    • There is no HIERARCHY of Controls
    • Scaffolding, Readiness and ZPD in Learning
    • What Can Safety Learn From Playschool?
    • Presentation Tips for Safety People
    • Dialogue Do’s and Don’ts
    • It’s Only a Symbol
    • Ten Cautions About Safety Checklists
    • Zero is Unethical
    • First Report on Zero Survey
    • There is No Objectivity, Deal With it!
  • Slogans
    • Researchers Reveal the Top 10 Most Effective Safety Slogans Of All Time
    • When Slogans Don’t Work
    • CLASSIC, FAMOUS and INFAMOUS SAFETY QUOTES
    • BEST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2022
    • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
    • COVID-19 (Coronavirus, Omicron) Health and Safety Slogans and Quotes for the Workplace
    • Safety Acronyms
    • You know Where You Can Stick Your Safety Slogans
    • Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple
    • Spanish Safety Slogans – Consignas de seguridad
    • Safety Slogans List
    • Road Safety Slogans 2022
    • How to write your own safety slogans
    • Why Are Safety Slogans Important
    • Safety Slogans Don’t Save Lives
    • 40 Free Safety Slogans For the Workplace
    • Safety Slogans for Work
  • Safety Culture
    • Safety Culture Silences
  • Psychological Safety
You are here: Home / Robert Long / I Have the Power, I’m a Safety Hero

I Have the Power, I’m a Safety Hero

May 12, 2019 by Dr Rob Long 15 Comments

I Have the Power, I’m a Safety Hero

safety heroI try to avoid attending safety conferences as much as I can as I find them depressing and lacking vision. Each time I am compelled to go I am never surprised by the kind of delusional stuff believed by the industry. The worst is the myth of the safety hero. Recently I had to attend a conference and I didn’t have to wait long till out came the same preoccupation with safety and power and heroics.

It is election time in Australia and politicians are in the air seeking photo shoots and tabloid spreads. As people might know the Prime Minister (PM) has a large entourage of ‘minders’ and plain clothed security staff. They are there to care, protect and keep the PM safe. Everything has to be highly managed with some ad lib and a huge media contingent follows.

Of course, if the PM wants his picture on an excavator (sitting in it) that can’t happen. Three points of contact, no ticket etc. It was amazing to hear this presenter go on about the power of Safety. Even I can stop the Prime Minister from being unsafe. Here I am to save the Prime Minister, he doesn’t know how to be safe, neither do his minders.

Apparently, one of the minders of the PM suggested on a civil construction site that a pic on an excavator would be a good snap. Not with a Safety hero around. Out comes the superhero, even he can save the PM from himself.

What an amazing tirade this presentation was. The core message wasn’t really about safety at all or risk but rather about the power of the safety hero. Look at me, I can use safety to have power over the PM. Only I can keep the PM safe. That was the message.

You don’t have to search hard to find the mythology of heroes and heroics in Safety, it dominates the safety airwaves. Here are a couple of links that might help raise your vomit level including indoctrination and propaganda into schools:

https://www.ergon.com.au/network/safety/safety-heroes

https://www.ehstoday.com/safety/management/ready-safety-hero-7455

https://safetyposter.com/blogs/news/how-to-be-a-safety-hero

https://www.safeopedia.com/where-are-the-safety-heroes/2/4880

Have you seen enough?

http://www.lookoutforsafety.com/

http://www.weareohs.org.au/handbook

There are thousands more.

The mythology of heroics is one of the most damaging metaphors and symbols of the safety industry.

hazardmanThe last thing you want anywhere in a crisis is a hero. Anyone who behaved like a hero at Beaconsfield was a danger to the rescue and was put off the team. The last person anyone will empathise with in a challenge, struggle or suffering is a hero. Heroes alienate people who want everyday ordinary people to just go about the everyday task of ‘helping’ people tackle risk. We don’t need heroes in safety, we need ‘helpers’.

Unfortunately, heroes don’t ‘help’ they ‘save’. Heroes dominate the atmosphere, no one else can save the day except the hero. Ah, look at me, I have power over the PM of Australia. This is not what Real Risk is about (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/real-risk/ ). Safety doesn’t ‘save’ lives (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-people-dont-save-lives/ ). Ah here are some slips, trips and falls, where is Hazardman (https://safetyrisk.net/hazardman-wont-save-you/) when you need him.

When you ‘meet’ people who really are helpers and not heroes (https://safetyrisk.net/risk-boldly/) they never claim the delusional myth of hero. There can never be heroics in real safety.

  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
  • More about Rob
Dr Rob Long

Dr Rob Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions
Dr Rob Long

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

  • Understanding Psychological Terminology - August 7, 2022
  • Beware False Profits and Messiahs in Safety - August 7, 2022
  • Risk Boldly - August 7, 2022
  • Poetics of the Self - August 7, 2022
  • Culture Silences in Safety – What Culture Isn’t - August 7, 2022
Dr Rob Long
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.

Please share our posts

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Robert Long, Safety Culture, Social Psychology of Risk Tagged With: hero myth, safety hero

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rob Long says

    May 24, 2019 at 8:46 AM

    Suzanne, lots of this stuff crops up because the industry has no vision and doesn’t know what to do next so, they drift to slogans and entertainment. It is evidence of an immature industry that would rather speak stupid language to each other than do anything substantial about risk except add more paperwork.

    Reply
  2. bernardcorden says

    May 22, 2019 at 8:26 AM

    The majority of safety conferences are dominated by mirror wanking solipsists who would shout out their own name while making love.

    Reply
  3. Suzanne Jackson says

    May 22, 2019 at 2:29 AM

    I have noticed the last couple of safety conferences had more focus on entertainment than technical knowledge. People knowledge is a rare workshop – although we keep saying safety is 80% about the people. I have seen the term “safety champion” get used a lot in the past, and so the escalation to “safety super hero” is not surprising – but where do we go from there? All of this is to appeal to the people working in safety, not to appeal to the workers, managers or customers. I would feel silly saying to a customer I am the safety super hero in my organization.

    Reply
  4. Rob Long says

    May 17, 2019 at 9:41 AM

    Wynand, and the only way to prevent death is not to be born.

    Reply
  5. Rob Long says

    May 17, 2019 at 9:41 AM

    Andre, I’m sure the fear and anxiety of safety must result in ‘nappy safety’. Its that special form of anxiety caused by speaking the nonsense language of zero to people.

    Reply
  6. Rob Long says

    May 17, 2019 at 9:39 AM

    Hey Mick, yep there is no 100% safe, so what are zero harm talking about??? When you don’t know what to say you speak shit to people. The great leveller of life and time is fallibility, essential to all learning and fundamental to understanding the role of helping. If humans were perfect there would be no learning or helping, we wouldn’t know such experiences. Yes, people will be harmed, its called life. Of course children wear nappies just as old people do, its called fallibility and sad to say, this life is finite, one day you will die, hmmm how will safety stop that harm???

    Reply
  7. Wynand says

    May 14, 2019 at 5:47 PM

    Even then you don’t have a really safe plant :-). The only way to have a really safe plant is to never build one.

    Reply
  8. Andre says

    May 14, 2019 at 5:29 PM

    “everyone now has to wear nappies” sad, but true!!
    If you want a “really safe plant”, switch everything off, lock it up and send the people home.

    Reply
  9. Mick Davson says

    May 14, 2019 at 11:03 AM

    Many forget that there is no such thing as 100% safe. Everything in life has some level of risk. Safety people are there to coach and mentor. They are a SUPPORT service. If the PM wants to do something (that isn’t absolutely outrageous) then the safety person should look at how that can be done with a little risk as possible, not just ban it from happening. That’s why safety people get a bad reputation – they are always saying “No” because somewhere sometime ago someone nearly hurt themselves doing something similar. One person wets their pants so everyone now has to wear nappies.

    Reply
  10. Rob Long says

    May 14, 2019 at 8:36 AM

    Ah, there is always a piece of kryptonite to demonstrate the fallibility of the hero.

    Reply
  11. Andy Anderson says

    May 14, 2019 at 12:20 AM

    I was at that conference and I rolled a chunk of kryptonite into the booth and walked on by shaking my head.

    Reply
  12. Rob long says

    May 13, 2019 at 8:33 PM

    When people lack vision and meaning they seek entertainment.

    Reply
  13. bernardcorden says

    May 13, 2019 at 7:33 PM

    Safety conferences are redolent of aesthetic television game shows and other sources of formulaic and passive vicarious entertainment such as MKR, The Voice or Backyard Blitz.

    Reply
  14. bernardcorden says

    May 13, 2019 at 2:18 PM

    A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom – Bob Dylan

    Reply
    • Rob Long says

      May 13, 2019 at 8:36 PM

      From s different Dylan:

      Do not go gentle into that good night.
      Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

      Dylan Thomas, In Country Sleep

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Rob long Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search and Discover More on this Site

Never miss a post - Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,464 other subscribers

VIRAL POST!!! HOW TO QUIT THE SAFETY INDUSTRY

NEW! Free Download

Please take our 2 minute zero survey

Recent Comments

  • Rob Long on How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • Wynand on How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • Brian Edwin Darlington on How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • Brian Edwin Darlington on Culture Silences in Safety – What Culture Isn’t
  • Rob Long on How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • Rob Long on How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • Brent Charlton on How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • Richard Brookes on How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • Rob Long on The Rhizome as a Learning Model for Risk
  • Ooker on The Rhizome as a Learning Model for Risk
  • Rob Long on Safety Doesn’t Need Military Language
  • Manjit Handa on Safety Doesn’t Need Military Language
  • Rob Long on Why Safety is Attracted to Behaviourism
  • Ricardo Montero on Why Safety is Attracted to Behaviourism
  • Admin on Culture Silences in Safety – Ritual
  • Anonymous on Culture Silences in Safety – Ritual
  • Rob Long on Cultural Silences in Safety – Power and Politics
  • Admin on Cultural Silences in Safety – Power and Politics
  • Rob Long on Doing Away With Health and Safety–Language and People
  • Rob Long on Why Safety is Attracted to Behaviourism

FREE eBOOK DOWNLOADS

Footer

Top Posts & Pages. Sad that most are so dumb but this is what safety luves

  • BEST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2022
  • Free Safety Moments and Toolbox Talk Examples, Tips and Resources
  • Road Safety Slogans 2022
  • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
  • 15 Safety Precautions When Working With Electricity
  • Free Risk Assessment Template in Excel Format
  • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS, CHECKISTS, REGISTERS, TEMPLATES and APPS
  • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators
  • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • CLASSIC, FAMOUS and INFAMOUS SAFETY QUOTES

Recent Posts

  • Understanding Psychological Terminology
  • Beware False Profits and Messiahs in Safety
  • Risk Boldly
  • Poetics of the Self
  • Culture Silences in Safety – What Culture Isn’t
  • There is No Objectivity, Deal With it!
  • When Only More Guilt Will Do
  • How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • Keep Counting Every Time You Don’t Achieve Your Goal, That’s Professional
  • Safety and Non-Neuroscience
  • Paperwork and Usability in Tackling Risk
  • Safety as a Masculinist Activity
  • You Don’t Want a Compliance Culture
  • The Soul of Mental Health
  • Identity and Safety
  • Psychosocial Controls and Measures for Who?
  • Linguistics and Safety
  • Not a Profession’s Bootlace
  • Cultural Silences in Safety – Power and Politics
  • History and Safety
  • What is Psychosocial Safety
  • A Guide to Psychosocial Safety Skills
  • Doing Away With Health and Safety–Language and People
  • The New Enemy of Safety – The Unconscious
  • Tape Down Those Leads
  • More Safety Code to Disguise Behaviourism
  • Why Safety is Attracted to Behaviourism
  • Safety Culture–Hudson’s Model
  • Understanding Safety as an Archetype
  • The Purpose of Safety
  • Learning Styles Matter
  • Due Diligence and Holistic Ergonomics Workshops
  • Having FUN in Safety FUNdamentalism
  • 80% of Safety Practitioners Are Idiots
  • Risk Homeostasis Theory–Why Safety Initiatives Go Wrong
  • Culture Silences in Safety – Semiotics
  • Flooding is Dangerous, and I don’t Mean the Water….
  • Cultural Silences in Safety – Aesthetics
  • Impacts of Cognitive Dissonance in the Workplace
  • What Can Safety Learn From Playschool?
  • Risky Conversations, The Law, Social Psychology and Risk
  • Due Diligence Videos – 10000 downloads
  • Release the Safety Monster and Wreck a Good TV Show
  • Paper Safe
  • Safety Starts with Us
  • Investigations and Heuristics
  • Barry’s Latest Safety Innovation Discovery
  • The Human Race…
  • The ASSP Getting Complacency Completely Wrong
  • What in the (Risk & Safety) World is Imagination?

FEATURED POSTS

The Great Safety is a Choice Delusion

What If I Valued People And Not Safety?

ACTOR + ACTION + TIME = EVENT

Be Alert, Safety Needs More Lerts

Listening, Learning, Helping and Caring about Risk

The Allure of Submission

Ways in Which the Workplace Harms Us

Natural Born Learners

There is Nothing more Imaginative We can Do in Safety

Subjecting and Objecting About Risk

Ten Risk and Safety Program Essentials

Innocence and Justice in Safety

Safety Leadership Training

I’m 100% Certain About That….

Actions in ‘Bad Faith’

In Praise of Balance in Risk and the Threat of Extremism

Intuitional Ways of Knowing in Safety

Why Some People Never Achieve

Inspirational Safety Ideas

Abduction in Risk and Safety

Military Metaphors in Safety

Learning from people who we don’t agree with

Numerology and Psychic Numbing

Why Would You Talk That Way?

Anxiety and Fear Professionals

Don’t Make Safety a Habit

Could Understanding Grey Be The Silver Bullet

The Primacy of Play in Learning

Look With Your Heart and Not With Your Eyes

Heretical, Unorthodox and Sacrilegious Safety

First in Best Dressed for Indoctrination

The Common Sense Fallacy

Learning Styles Matter

How Groupthink Works

Psychology and safety

Risky Conversations Book Launch in Perth

Human Dymensions Newsletter–October 2014

I’m Not Playing Any More

Post Graduate Studies in the Social Psychology of Risk

Foresight Blindness, Hindsight Bias and Risk

More Posts from this Category

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,464 other subscribers

How we pay for the high cost of running of this site – try it for free on your site

What is Psychological Safety at Work?