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

Safety Risk .net

Humanising Safety and Embracing Real Risk

Discover More on this Site

  • Home
    • About
      • Privacy Policy
      • Contact
  • FREE RESOURCES
    • FREE SAFETY eBOOKS
    • 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
  • PSYCHOLOGY OF SAFETY & RISK
    • 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
  • Covid-19
    • COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Health and Safety Slogans and Quotes for the Workplace
    • Covid-19 Returning to Work Inductions, Transitioning, Safety Start Up and Re Entry Plans
    • Covid-19 Work from Home Safety Checklists and Risk Assessments
    • The Hierarchy of Control and Covid-19
    • Why Safety Loves Covid-19
    • Covid-19, Cricket and Lessons in Safety
    • The Covid-19 Lesson
    • Safety has this Covid-19 thing sorted
    • The Heart of Wisdom at Covid Time
    • How’s the Hot Desking Going Covid?
    • The Semiotics of COVID-19 and the Social Amplification of Risk
    • Working From Home Health and Safety Tips – Covid-19
    • Covid-19 and the Hierarchy of Control
  • Dr Rob Long 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!
  • Quotes & Slogans
    • Researchers Reveal the Top 10 Most Effective Safety Slogans Of All Time
    • When Slogans Don’t Work
    • 77 OF THE MOST CLASSIC, FAMOUS and INFAMOUS SAFETY QUOTES
    • 500 BEST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2020
    • 167 CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
    • COVID-19 (Coronavirus) 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
    • 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

Is Harm and Suffering Evil?

September 4, 2017 by Dr Rob Long Leave a Comment

Is Harm and Suffering Evil?

imageIs fallibility and mortality wrong? Is harm the enemy of safety? Are all accidents preventable? Are mistakes bad? Is it wrong to be human? Is risk essential to learning? Can people learn without risk? Is ‘trial and error’ a problem? What does it mean to be human? What is personhood? And what creates an educated person? Is it wrong to suffer? Why do we suffer? Is the suffering the trade-off for fallibility and learning? Is movement and process essential for learning?

All of these questions and many similar, are challenges one cannot consider without the language, thinking and hermeneutic of metaphysics and theology. These questions require a hermeneutic (theory of interpretation) that can speak about being (phenomenology and ontology) and about transcendence (non-material existence). Disciplines that are materialist and pragmatist like safety don’t have a hermeneutic to even consider such challenging questions nor is it something Safety practices or has the language to explore. This is why when the safety worldview seeks answers to these questions it ends up talking about matters of faith and the symbolism of zero. Ah, we will be perfect one day.

The study of hermeneutics and transcendence have a strong tradition in the interpretation of biblical, wisdom and philosophical texts. Wikepedia states (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeneutics ):

‘Modern hermeneutics includes both verbal and non-verbal communication as well as semiotics, presuppositions, and pre-understandings. Hermeneutics has been broadly applied in the humanities, especially in law, history and theology’.

Hermeneutics was originally applied to interpretation or exegesis but the transliteration of texts is also known as eisegesis. This is the free adaptation of text without a hermeneutical methodology. Eisegesis is a form of speculation from a position of reading a text without a context or grammar for understanding.

When it comes to the industry of safety one looks at the constant struggle against fallibility and mortality in the discourse of zero. This is because safety has no hermeneutic with which to understand the questions of suffering. The language of science, regulation and engineering has no hermeneutic to even tackle these challenging questions. So where would one start? Well certainly not with the idea that fallibility is evil or that mortality is wrong? Indeed, the very notion of what it is to be a person and to human is framed on the necessities of being. This is why safety without a hermeneutic talks about fallibility as some kind of ‘defilement’, using religious language seeking salvation in countering ‘human error’. Reason’s classic model of ‘violations’ and ‘acts’ is founded on an assumption of the symbolism of blemish, stain, sin, missing the mark, trespass and evil, symbolically represented in the Bradley Curve (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-curves-and-pyramids/ ). The Bradley Curve is simply a reconstruction of the Augustinian construction of original sin. Have a look at the emphasis on ‘natural instincts’ to commit error and how safety is the savior from all harm.

The study of human ‘being’ was first tackled by the school of Phenomenology founded by Husserl, Heidegger and Ricoeur. Ricoeur’s work ‘Fallible Man’ (not for the faint hearted) is an excellent piece on the symbolism of evil and the necessity of fallibility. In reading Ricoeur one steps out of the masculinst theological constructs of binary power so common in safety symbology and the construction of god as some kind of dominant oppressor. When one moves into the vocation of ‘saving lives’ one embarks on a discourse of salvation or what theologians know as soteriology (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soteriology ). It is no wonder that so much of safety is consumed by perfectionist, religious, fallibility-denial, religious symbolism and language.

safety theologyThe trouble with safety in trying to tackle the big questions about suffering, being and fallibility is that it seeks to discredit the non-scientific assumptions of transcendence. Science has no understanding of semiotics, the cosmic, onerific and poetic dimensions of thinking and being. Non-scientific methodologies are often thought of as ‘primitive’ by science yet, in our post-scientific age and post-texual age so much of secular culture is infused with transcendent signs, symbols, narrative and thinking. One only has to observe the many movies in popular culture like the blockbusters of the Matrix, Star Wars, Avatar, Inception, Batman, Ghostbusters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, ET, and Lord of the Rings to see that the post-text world is infused with a fascination with the sacred, being and fallibility.

So, without some kind of transdisciplinary study (https://safetyrisk.net/isnt-it-time-we-reformed-the-whs-curriculum/) in philosophy, metaphysics or theology, it is not likely soon that safety will know that it is trapped in its own making of zero and the fixation with counting, hoping one day for immortality. Meanwhile in the real world, where wisdom and discernment are the marks of maturity in Real Risk, safety remains silent because it has framed its worldview on an alternative religious mythology.

  • 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)

  • Memorials and Monuments, A Lesson in What is NOT Said - January 27, 2021
  • Intuition and Safety - January 24, 2021
  • The Linguistics of Zero - January 24, 2021
  • You Can’t Believe in Zero and Learning at The Same Time - January 21, 2021
  • Poisoning the Professional Waterhole - January 21, 2021
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 this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Robert Long, Zero Harm Tagged With: harm, religion, suffering

Reader Interactions

Do you have any thoughts? Please share them below Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

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

Visit Count – Started Jan 2015

  • 21,352,409 Visitors

Never miss a post - Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address and join over 30,000 other discerning safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Please take our 2 minute zero survey

Recent Comments

  • Rob Long on Memorials and Monuments, A Lesson in What is NOT Said
  • Rob Long on Memorials and Monuments, A Lesson in What is NOT Said
  • Frank Garrett on Memorials and Monuments, A Lesson in What is NOT Said
  • Wynand on Memorials and Monuments, A Lesson in What is NOT Said
  • Kenny on How To Write a Safety Report
  • Rob Long on Fire Pit Safety
  • Rob Long on Intuition and Safety
  • Serge Massicotte on Fire Pit Safety
  • Bernard Corden on Intuition and Safety
  • Rob Long on You Can’t Believe in Zero and Learning at The Same Time

FREE eBOOK DOWNLOADS

Featured Downloads

  • Real Risk by Dr Rob Long (837 downloads)
  • Hazardous Substances Risk Assessment Form (342 downloads)
  • How-can-the-ideology-of-zero-be-ethical_.pdf (150 downloads)
  • Presenting-Dos-and-Donts.pdf (358 downloads)
  • Planning For Your School Fund Raising Event (107 downloads)
  • Health and Safety Risk Assessment Checklist (8184 downloads)
  • SAFETY-SLOGANS-LIST.doc (7941 downloads)
  • Blowin'-in-the-wind-03092019 (418 downloads)
  • SEEK-Brisbane-91011-Nov-2016-2.pdf (351 downloads)
  • Awareness-EBook-Rev-01.pdf (1161 downloads)
  • GENERIC-MANUAL-V4.doc (25066 downloads)
  • Event Risk Management (395 downloads)
  • ATMs and ATM Cards (1345 downloads)
  • Accident-Incident-Investigation-eBook-Rev1.pdf (7405 downloads)
  • My_Defining Moments in Safety .pdf (2083 downloads)

Recent Posts

  • Happy New Year for 2021 and Theme
  • Memorials and Monuments, A Lesson in What is NOT Said
  • Intuition and Safety
  • The Linguistics of Zero
  • You Can’t Believe in Zero and Learning at The Same Time
  • Poisoning the Professional Waterhole
  • Zero Vision Creates Mindless Gobbledygook
  • The Seduction of Slogans in Safety
  • Certificate, Diploma and Masters Studies in SPoR
  • Measurement Anxiety in Safety

Footer

AUTHORS

  • Alan Quilley
    • Heinrich–Industrial Accident Prevention
    • The Problem With ZERO Goals and Results
  • Bernard Corden
    • AHH$ Covid$afe Chri$tma$ New$letter
    • Paradise by the dashboard light
  • Bill Sims
    • Employee Engagement: Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?
    • Injury Hiding-How do you stop it?
  • Craig Clancy
    • Task Based vs Activity Based Safe Work Method Statements
    • Safety And Tender Submissions
  • Daniel Kirk
    • It’s easy being wise after the event.
    • A Positive Safety Story
  • Dave Whitefield
    • Safety is about…
    • Safety and Compliance
  • Dennis Millard
    • Are You Risk Intelligent?
    • Honey they get me! They get me at work!
  • Drewie
    • Downturn Doin’ Your Head In? Let’s Chat….
    • How was your break?
  • Gabrielle Carlton
    • All Care and No Care!
    • You Are Not Alone!
  • George Robotham
    • How to Give an Unforgettable Safety Presentation
    • How To Write a Safety Report
  • Goran Prvulovic
    • Safety Manager – an Ultimate Scapegoat
    • HSE Performance – Back to Basics
  • James Ellis
    • In search of plan B in workers’ recovery
    • What and how should we measure to support recovery from injury?
  • James Parkinson
    • To laugh or not to laugh
    • People and Safety
  • John Toomey
    • Who is Responsible for This?
    • Who Are Your People?
  • Karl Cameron
    • Abby Normal Safety
    • The Right Thing
  • Ken Roberts
    • Safety Legislation Is Our Biggest Accident?
    • HSE Trip Down Memory Lane
  • Mark Perrett
    • Psychology of Persuasion: Top 5 influencing skills for getting what you want
  • Mark Taylor
    • Build a Psychologically Safe Workplace by Taking Risks and Analysing Failures
    • Enculturing Safety
  • Max Geyer
    • WHS Legislation is NOT about Safety it’s about Culture
    • Due Diligence Is Not Just Ticking Boxes!
  • Matt Thorne
    • It was the SIA until someone wanted to swing from the Chandelier
    • Common Sense is Remarkably Uncommon
  • Peter Ribbe
    • Is there “Common Sense” in safety?
    • Who wants to be a safety professional?
  • Phil LaDuke
    • Hey Idiots, You’re Worried About the Wrong Things
    • Misleading Indicators
  • Admin
    • Happy New Year for 2021 and Theme
    • Certificate, Diploma and Masters Studies in SPoR
  • Dr Rob Long
    • Memorials and Monuments, A Lesson in What is NOT Said
    • Intuition and Safety
  • Rob Sams
    • I’m just not that into safety anymore
    • Social ‘Resiliencing’
  • Barry Spud
    • Barry Spud’s Hazard Control Tips
    • Researchers Reveal the Top 10 Most Effective Safety Slogans Of All Time
  • Sheri Suckling
    • How Can I Get the Boss to Listen?
  • Safety Nerd
    • The Block isn’t portraying safety as it should be
    • Toolbox Talk Show–PPE
  • Wynand Serfontein
    • Why The Problem With Learning Is Unlearning
    • I DON’T KNOW
  • Zoe Koskinas
    • Why is fallibility so challenging in the workplace?

FEATURED POSTS

Goals and Vision in Safety

There’s a Hole in Your Investigation.

Reality vs Theory, The Binary Divide

Banning Head Protection is Safer

How Groupthink Works

Why Safety Controls Don’t Always Work

Natural Born Learners

Looking Forward, Looking Back

SPoR Introductory Workshop Series April 2020

Social Psychology of Risk Doability

The Illusion Of Hazard Identification

The Social Politics of Risk Workshop

Right and Wrong in Safety

Making Language in Safety Meaningful

Zero Discourse and Perfectionism

Ethics, Morality and an Ethic of Risk

The New Leadership – Risk and Safety

The Perils of Excessive Safety Management Systems

The Curse of Behaviourism

The New Enemy of Safety – The Unconscious

More Posts from this Category

Paperwork

https://vimeo.com/162034157?loop=0

Due Diligence

https://vimeo.com/162493843?loop=0

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.