So much about the safety industry is about wrong thinking. The STEM-only worldview has us convinced that good safety is about rationality and cognition. This worldview has us convinced in typical binary framing that the emotions and rationality are opposites. Yet this is not how we live. This … [Read more...] about Wrong-Headed Safety
Mental health
Suicide Prevention – a Social Psychological Perspective
Suicide Prevention - a Social Psychological Perspective Prelude: In June 2013, I joined the first cohort of students in post-graduate studies in the Social Psychology of Risk (SPoR), a program developed and presented by Dr Robert Long and Craig Ashhurst. After 5 years participating in a ‘learning … [Read more...] about Suicide Prevention – a Social Psychological Perspective
Toxic Positivity in Safety Doesn’t Help Anyone
Image Source There is much to be said for having a positive attitude to things but there is no great value in being naïve or maintaining a delusion. It’s all about striking a balance and this is what we do in SPoR. The purpose of criticism and deconstruction in SPoR is to improve something and … [Read more...] about Toxic Positivity in Safety Doesn’t Help Anyone
Don’t Be Emotional! Another Safety Myth
As our society (and safety industry) continues to suffer under the burden of Scientism (Positivism), we still here this terrible accusation ‘don’t be emotional’. More so, even most awfully directed at women. This kind of language promotes ignorance from assumptions about personhood developed 300 … [Read more...] about Don’t Be Emotional! Another Safety Myth
SAFETY IS A MYTH, LONG LIVE SAFETY
In the recent days since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, much has been said regarding this. A particular post on Facebook from Australia journalist Van Badham particularly took my eye. The third point is particularly poignant to safety. Safety invests in its symbols with a different meaning … [Read more...] about SAFETY IS A MYTH, LONG LIVE SAFETY
Mental Health and the Safety Habitus
Mental Health and the Safety Habitus How is the safety industry equipped to tackle the challenges of mental health? What assumptions about personhood and ‘mind’ dominate the safety sector? Do these assumptions help or hinder an holistic approach to tackling mental health at work? These questions … [Read more...] about Mental Health and the Safety Habitus
The Soul of Mental Health
The idea of a ‘soul’ or life force (psyche) evolved out of the writings of Aristotle and the Pauline anthropology and is a word commonly used to refer to the hidden spirit of something. We often refer to the ‘soul’ of politics, law or the ‘soul’ of a nation. Sometimes we call a person a kind or … [Read more...] about The Soul of Mental Health
Psychosocial Controls and Measures for Who?
The fixation and psychosis of the safety industry with ‘controls’ and ‘measures’ creates the delusion that psychosocial issues can be controlled and measured. When it comes to psychosocial issues, the last thing that helps is quantitative language and simplistic mythology. And the latest Worksafe … [Read more...] about Psychosocial Controls and Measures for Who?
Safety as a Mental Health Disorder – Obsession
Obsession is considered a form of mental health disorder. To be obsessed is to be imbalanced and to be continually preoccupied with something so that it intrudes on normal balanced living. I have met a few sports ‘obsessed’ people in my time and they often describe themselves as ‘fanatics’. When we … [Read more...] about Safety as a Mental Health Disorder – Obsession
Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk And Safety
Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk And Safety The article is a bit longer than usual and if you would prefer to download a copy for future reference then you can DOWNLOAD HERE: Understanding-the-Social-psychology-of-Risk-and-Safety.docx In response to a number of emails I have … [Read more...] about Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk And Safety