Anniversary–Beaconsfield Mine Collapse The sixth anniversary of The Beaconsfield Mine collapse approaches. The collapse occurred on 25 April 2006 in Beaconsfield, Tasmania, Australia. Of the seventeen people who were in the mine at the time, fourteen escaped immediately following the collapse, one, … [Read more...] about Anniversary–Beaconsfield Mine Collapse
Mining Safety
Mining Tragedies – What Could be the Response?
Queensland Mining Tragedies – What Could be the Response? We learned recently that Queensland Mining has its worst rate of fatalities in 20 years in 2014-15. (http://www.internationalcoalnews.com/storyview.asp?storyID=826953720§ion=News§ionsource=s46&aspdsc=yes). Yes, this is … [Read more...] about Mining Tragedies – What Could be the Response?
Brady Review, Nothing New, No Way Forward – Republished
3 years on and nothing has changed............. One of the things that Safety does well is keep the doors closed to critical thinking outside of its own paradigm. Dialogue within the discipline of safety is tight, engaging similar worldviews, ensuring that nothing changes. This was confirmed … [Read more...] about Brady Review, Nothing New, No Way Forward – Republished
What is a Safety Reset?
After four fatalities in a short period of time in the ACT in 2011 the regulator launched an inquiry into safety into the building and construction industry. This resulted in the Getting Them Home Safely Report in which I made a significant contribution (including diagnostics workshop at the … [Read more...] about What is a Safety Reset?
Window Dressing, Theatre and More of The Same
Window Dressing, Theatre and More of The Same We read the sad news of yet another fatality in mining in the Zero Harm in Leadership state. Of course, zero ideology is anti-leadership and anti-learning and it seems there’s not much learning going on in mining Queensland. We learned in 2020 that … [Read more...] about Window Dressing, Theatre and More of The Same
Let’s Reset the Last Reset that Reset the Reset
Let’s Reset the Last Reset that Reset the Reset What does Safety do when things go wrong? It has reset which of course is not a re-set. We saw this with the second to last reset the Brady Review which was nothing new and more of the same. It’s pretty simple, if you don’t want safety to change make … [Read more...] about Let’s Reset the Last Reset that Reset the Reset
Selective Harm for Rio Tinto
Image Source When you make your raison d'être (reason for being) the counting of injuries then one loses all perspective and vision. When you mantra is ‘zero harm’ we all know that means - ‘selective harm’ – zero vision. Everyone in the Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ) industry knows … [Read more...] about Selective Harm for Rio Tinto
Dulce et decorum est
When the rich wage war, it’s the poor who die Jean-Paul Sartre 1 The Karijini National Park in the Pilbara region of Western Australia is an impressive tourist destination surrounded by enchanting ochre escarpments with deep intermingling emerald green gorges. However, the spectacular scenery … [Read more...] about Dulce et decorum est
The Compliance Conundrum
The challenge of compliance is also a challenge to critical thinking, this is one of the many paradoxes in risk and safety. When we comply or an organization seeks compliance this is all well and good only while things stay the same. When things change and adaptability is required to keep … [Read more...] about The Compliance Conundrum
It’s alright ma I’m only bleeding
It’s alright ma I’m only bleeding A healthy loyalty is not passive and complacent but active and critical Harold Laski 1 The 21st October 2016 commemorated half a century since the Aberfan disaster in South Wales, United Kingdom which resulted in the deaths of 116 school children and 28 adults … [Read more...] about It’s alright ma I’m only bleeding