I have written before about the economics of safety and the way neo-liberalism puts the poor and disadvantaged at greater risk of harm (https://safetyrisk.net/freedom-to-harm-the-gig-economy-and-zero/). When it comes to psychosocial well-being and mental health, disadvantage … [Read more...] about When We Can’t Afford Safety
Marketing Safety and Managing Safety
So much of what parades in safety marketing is not matched by reality. We see this best exemplified in the marketing of the nonsense language of ‘thought leaders’, global safety leadership’ and ‘world-class safety’. DuPont use such language but it is not matched by reality. We see recently the … [Read more...] about Marketing Safety and Managing Safety
Blame Fixes Many Things and The Slogan Trap
The trouble is, that when you call slogans ‘principles’ without any articulated ethic, you create new problems and dangerous by-products. The slogan ‘blame fixes nothing’ is a dangerous and false slogan. The reality is, when something goes seriously wrong, the courts and regulators seek blame … [Read more...] about Blame Fixes Many Things and The Slogan Trap
A Model for Transdisciplinarity in Risk
Stepping outside the comfort zone of engineering, beahviourism and positivism is essential for anyone who wants to learn in safety. Regurgitating and recycling the same assumptions about safety, will never lead to learning in safety. Similarly, approaching risk from a methodology that prioritizes … [Read more...] about A Model for Transdisciplinarity in Risk
If There was a Risk Gene, Would you Engineer it Out?
Another really enjoyable and thought provoking article by Dr Robert Long. There is no learning without risk, risk is not the enemy. Just think of all the inventions and pleasures of life we enjoy had not our pioneers taken risks. If There was a Risk Gene, Would you Engineer it Out? Ever since 1996 … [Read more...] about If There was a Risk Gene, Would you Engineer it Out?
The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth
The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth is a new miniseries (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31251016/) currently screening on the ABC and iView (https://iview.abc.net.au/show/space-shuttle-that-fell-to-earth ). The Columbia mission was the second space shuttle disaster after the Challenger disaster, … [Read more...] about The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth
Smoke Screen Safety
A paper by Provan and Rae (the lovers of zero), argues about the nature of ‘safety work’. The paper rightly questions whether the many activities of Safety actually keep people safe or, are just ‘busy work’. I think the premise of the paper is right. Many activities that Safety undertakes provide … [Read more...] about Smoke Screen Safety
Petty Safety is Not Professional
We have seen recently the absurdity of hyper-safety, suggesting all outdoor activities be banned and that Santa wear a seatbelt (https://safetyrisk.net/the-horrors-of-hyper-safety/ ). All suggested by so-called ‘safety professionals’. Of course, this kind of preoccupation with petty low-risk … [Read more...] about Petty Safety is Not Professional
The Manual Handling Secret
The Manual Handling Secret One of the great challenges of safety is effective manual handling. One in three of all injuries in the Australian workplace are due to manual handling issues. For years we have been developing programs, codes of practice and regulations to help minimize this problem – … [Read more...] about The Manual Handling Secret
Second Group Completes Graduate Certificate in Psychology of Risk
Second Group Completes Graduate Certificate in Psychology of Risk This week the second student group completed the Graduate Certificate in the Psychology of Risk at ACU. The Graduate Certificate comprises four units: · An Introduction to the Social Psychology of Risk · Leadership and … [Read more...] about Second Group Completes Graduate Certificate in Psychology of Risk