The Mechanistic Worldview and the Dehumanization of Safety By Dr Rob Long There should be no great surprise to anyone regarding the number of trade offs we have made by accepting the mechanistic worldview of safety. The narrative in safety over recent history has shifted away from humanizing … [Read more...] about The Dehumanization of Safety
Search Results for: Myth
And the Formula is, There is no Formula
A number of disciplines such as engineering, safety and mechanics have very limited focus in training on human uniqueness, people skills, communication, education, learning, motivation and human relationships. When one’s primary training has its focus on ‘things’ such as concrete, steel, … [Read more...] about And the Formula is, There is no Formula
Critical Thinking and Questioning in Safety
Critical Thinking and Questioning in Safety Great to read a piece on the Safety Differently site that situates systems within a social and societal context (Thinking Differently about incident investigations). One of the strange things about the tradition of safety is its maintenance of the myth of … [Read more...] about Critical Thinking and Questioning in Safety
Confirmity in Conformity
Confirmity in Conformity Safety is the industry of conformity. This is despite the fact that many of the things people believe they must conform with are mythical. In the very brief history of safety we now have the situation where the dominant Safety worldview is mechanistic, focused on - safety … [Read more...] about Confirmity in Conformity
Smart Phone Addiction, FOMO and Safety at Work
In his latest article Rob Long decided to actually write the way that some people like to be 'told'. I challenge you all to check if you do have a smartphone addiction and a “FOMO”. Anyway, you are sure to enjoy this latest article by Rob. Smart Phone Addiction, FOMO and Safety at Work I went … [Read more...] about Smart Phone Addiction, FOMO and Safety at Work
When Only More Guilt Will Do
I Chose to Look The Other Way - When Only More Guilt Will Do The idea that I am my brother’s keeper (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-as-a-patriarchal-activity/) is a psychological attachment infused in the theology of safety. How interesting that safety is apparently a ‘choice I make’ yet the … [Read more...] about When Only More Guilt Will Do
Ten Ways to Improve Safety
Whenever the question arises about improving the safety industry it is amazing to see what is invisibly declared off limits. Lets have safety improvement as long as no sacred rites or safety lores are questioned. Lets tinker about the edges, change the brand of cosmetics and fixate on stasis. So as … [Read more...] about Ten Ways to Improve Safety
Conforming and Questioning in Safety
Cass Sunstein’s tidy little book Conformity (2019) raises many issues that people in safety need to think about. The book starts by discussing the many social influences that affect decision making, demonstrating that the simplistic ideas of BBS and zero are nonsense. I have mapped many of … [Read more...] about Conforming and Questioning in Safety
Catching the NEBOSH Bus to Nowhere
Isn’t it strange this industry that sets up people to enter the workplace with none of the skills or curricula needed to do the job or even better, fully equipped to do the wrong job. In the standard NEBOSH curriculum there is nothing on: people, motivation, perception, judgment and decision … [Read more...] about Catching the NEBOSH Bus to Nowhere
How Do You Know If You Are Leading in Risk and Safety?
How Do You Know If You Are Leading in Risk and Safety? The current marketing at ANU has caught on to the trend in describing one’s self as a ‘thought leader’ (See Youtube Video). You can join a thought leaders group, buy a thought leaders app and even ‘engineer’ a thought leader. Some have caught … [Read more...] about How Do You Know If You Are Leading in Risk and Safety?
