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

SafetyRisk.net

Humanising Safety and Embracing Real Risk

  • Home
    • About
      • Privacy Policy
      • Contact
  • FREE
    • Slogans
      • Researchers Reveal the Top 10 Most Effective Safety Slogans Of All Time
      • When Slogans Don’t Work
      • CLASSIC, FAMOUS and INFAMOUS SAFETY QUOTES
      • 500 OF THE BEST AND WORST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
      • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
      • COVID-19 (Coronavirus, Omicron) 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 2023
      • 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
    • FREE SAFETY eBOOKS
    • Free Hotel and Resort Risk Management Checklist
    • 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
  • Social Psychology Of Risk
    • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
    • 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
  • Dr Long Posts
    • ALL 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!
  • THEMES
    • Risk Myths
    • Safety Myths
    • Safety Culture Silences
    • Safety Culture
    • Psychological Health and Safety
    • Zero Harm
    • Due Diligence
  • Free Learning
    • Introduction to SPoR – Free
    • FREE RISK and SAFETY EBOOKS
    • FREE ebook – Guidance for the beginning OHS professional
    • Free EBook – Effective Safety Management Systems
    • Free EBook – Lessons I Have Learnt
  • Psychosocial Safety
    • What is Psychosocial Safety
    • Psychological Safety
      • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
      • Managing psychosocial hazards at work
      • Psychological Safety – has it become the next Maslow’s hammer?
      • What is Psychosocial Safety
      • Psychological Safety Slogans and Quotes
      • What is Psychological Safety?
      • Understanding Psychological Terminology
      • Psycho-Social and Socio-Psychological, What’s the Difference?
      • Build a Psychologically Safe Workplace by Taking Risks and Analysing Failures
      • It’s not weird – it’s a psychological safety initiative!
You are here: Home / Psychological Health and Safety / Psychosocial Controls and Measures for Who?

Psychosocial Controls and Measures for Who?

August 2, 2022 by Dr Rob Long Leave a Comment

imageThe 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 Code of Practice on Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work exemplifies the problem.

Download the Code of Practice here: model code of practice – managing psychosocial hazards at work

Let’s start with an easy one, stress (p.6).

‘Stress is the body’s reaction when a worker perceives the demands of their work exceed their ability or resources to cope’.

Just look at the language. Stress is contingent on the perception of the worker who is stressed. Of course, if I ‘feel’ stressed and declare that stress, how will this be measured? How are admissions of stress usually received? When is it ever confessed? Indeed, how will stress be managed to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). Four subjectivities nicely strung together here: stress, feeling, perception and ALARP. Safety is already out of its depth. There is no discussion on the challenges of subjectivity or bias in this document.

In an industry that adores counting numbers, engineering, blame and bullying, who would ever admit they are suffering from stress? Indeed, with a regulator who adores inquisitions, blitzes and ‘we’ll get you’ rhetoric, who is going to talk to Safety about stress? It’s like R U OK day on steroids. Put out a code without a method and nothing changes.

So, even if a worker approaches management and says they are stressed, are they believed? Not likely, this is Safety. Indeed, with what expertise will a safety person help enact this code of practice with the curriculum and industry infused with Behaviourism? How can the ‘quanta’ of Behaviourism understand the ‘qualia’ of psycho-social need?

I called for curriculum reform in safety 7 year ago (https://safetyrisk.net/isnt-it-time-we-reformed-the-whs-curriculum/ ) and nothing. I guess even if one day there was a review of the WHS curriculum they would get an engineer to do it. Unless Safety moves away from zero ideology, Behaviourism and binary discourse, nothing will improve when it comes to psychological injury.

Indeed, it is well known that BBS and Zero (the love children of Safety) are principle contributors to the dehumanization, brutalism and psychological abuse of persons. Any absolute placed on fallible people can only result in brutalism, such is the vice of zero and an industry with no ethic.

So, whilst it is good to have a code of practice on these matters where is the discussion at the heart of the problem that is: the way the safety industry cultivates psychological and social harm? No mention of such in this document.

When you see humans and speak about people as ‘factors’ or ‘components’ in a system they have already been dehumanized and devalued. When one understands culture as a ‘product’, behaviours or systems, the real underlying problems to do with psychosocial injury will remain untouched.

Naturally, there is no mention of BBS, Zero or dehumanization in this document. This makes it wonderfully aligned with the AIHS BoK Chapter on Ethics that never mentions personhood, power, zero, BBS or a host of unethical things that safety normalizes and adores in its pursuit of counting objects, hazards and controls.

I wonder on what skill base this Code of Practice expects enactment? Into what depths of skill will safety people be able to delve to communicate about mental illness? Considering safety people are given no basic training in communication, listening, engagement, helping or pastoral care, where will a response emerge from?

I was sent this document yesterday from an observer on LinkedIn packaged as a proud descriptor of what safety people do (Figure One. Safety Responsibilities)

Figure One. Safety Responsibilities

clip_image002

Looks very authentic to me and something that could have been taken out of any safety HR document anywhere. Indeed, most in safety would probably agree that this is what Safety does.

The glaring omission is? You guessed it, people. Simple things like care, helping skills (no mention in this document), listening (no mention in this document), understanding, empathy (no mention in this document), counselling etc. all skills necessary in tackling psychological injury, social and mental health issues, crickets! None of this is mentioned across the safety industry, such is its identity and self-understanding.

How is an industry in love with objects ever going to learn how to engage with subjects? How is an industry framed by the love of zero (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/for-the-love-of-zero-free-download/ ), defined by a number, ever going to be able to focus on persons?

There is no compatibility between the ideology of zero and this document on psychosocial issues. Zero begins, ends and is defined by intolerance. The greatest need anyone has with a psychosocial injury is tolerance.

So, put out a Code of Practice but where is the skill development in the WHS curriculum to help safety people enact the demands of this Code?

Where is the understanding of culture needed to enact the concerns of this document?

When Safety is silent (https://safetyrisk.net/category/safety-culture-silences/ ) on so many critical factors in culture, how is it going to evaluate cultural issues that engender psychosocial harm?

What is the point of presenting an industry with a code to be enacted when it has neither the culture, knowledge, curriculum or skills to enact it?

  • 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)

  • An Advanced Understanding of Culture – A Video - January 31, 2023
  • Risk and Safety Maturity - January 31, 2023
  • The KISS of Death in Safety - January 31, 2023
  • SPoR, Metanoia and a Podcast on Change with Nippin Anand - January 31, 2023
  • Behavioural Safety is NOT a Foundation for Tackling Psychosocial and Mental Health - January 31, 2023
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 a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Psychological Health and Safety, Psychosocial Safety, Robert Long Tagged With: AIHS BoK Chapter on Ethics, ALARP, Psychological Safety, Psychosocial Controls, Stress, worksafe

Reader Interactions

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

Primary Sidebar

Search and Discover More on this Site

Never miss a post - Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,498 other subscribers

Introduction to SPOR – FREE!!

Psychosocial Safety and Mental Health Series

The KISS of Death in Safety

Behavioural Safety is NOT a Foundation for Tackling Psychosocial and Mental Health

The Worst Approach to Psychosocial Problems is an Attitude of ‘Fixing’

The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health

Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)

No Good Reason to Follow Reason

The Moral Harm of the Zero Cult

Toxic Positivity in Safety Doesn’t Help Anyone

Safety, Ethics, SPoR and How to Foster the Abuse of Power

Don’t Be Emotional! Another Safety Myth

More Posts from this Category

NEW! Free Download

Please take our 2 minute zero survey

Recent Comments

  • Brent Charlton on The KISS of Death in Safety
  • Rob Long on The KISS of Death in Safety
  • Brian Edwin Darlington on The KISS of Death in Safety
  • Brian on The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health
  • Jaise on The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health
  • Rob Long on Posture Myths and Holistic Ergonomics
  • Linda McKendry on Posture Myths and Holistic Ergonomics
  • Rob long on Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Matt Thorne on Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Anonymous on Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • Jason on How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Rob Long on How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Admin on How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Rob Long on 400,000 Free Downloads
  • Gustavo Saralegui on 400,000 Free Downloads
  • Rob long on To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • Wynand on To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • Rob Long on To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • simon cassin on To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • Rob Long on Records of safety activities: evidence of safety or non-compliance?

FREE eBOOK DOWNLOADS

Footer

VIRAL POST – The Risk Matrix Myth

Top Posts & Pages. Sad that most are so dumb but this is what safety luves

  • 500 OF THE BEST AND WORST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
  • Free Safety Moments and Toolbox Talk Examples, Tips and Resources
  • Road Safety Slogans 2023
  • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
  • The KISS of Death in Safety
  • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • NATIONAL SAFETY DAY/WEEK IN INDIA 2023
  • 15 Safety Precautions When Working With Electricity
  • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS, CHECKISTS, REGISTERS, TEMPLATES and APPS
  • The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health

Recent Posts

  • An Advanced Understanding of Culture – A Video
  • Risk and Safety Maturity
  • The KISS of Death in Safety
  • SPoR, Metanoia and a Podcast on Change with Nippin Anand
  • Behavioural Safety is NOT a Foundation for Tackling Psychosocial and Mental Health
  • The Worst Approach to Psychosocial Problems is an Attitude of ‘Fixing’
  • SPoR Comes to Vienna June 2023
  • The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health
  • Welcome to the Nightmare, Safety Creates its Own Minefield (as usual)
  • The Visionary Imagination – Louisa Lawson
  • Heaven ‘n Hell and the Safety Religion
  • Confirmity in Conformity
  • Numerology and Psychic Numbing
  • Thinking of Mortality
  • Safety is the Wrong Anchor
  • Foresight Blindness, Hindsight Bias and Risk
  • Getting the Balance Right in Tackling Risk
  • What is SPoR?
  • How Bias Inhibits Learning in Safety
  • Afraid to Let Go of What Doesn’t Work in Safety
  • When You Don’t Know What to do in Safety, Have Another Blitz!!!
  • Gloves and Glasses Compliance
  • A Case of Desensitisation – What Would You Do?
  • How to Leave the Safety Industry
  • The Mythic Symbology of Safety
  • Dark Waters, The True Story of DuPont and Zero
  • 400,000 Free Downloads
  • Am I stupid? I didn’t think of that…
  • Don’t Look Now Safety, Your Metaphor is Showing
  • Ratio Delusions and Heinrich’s Hoax
  • To Err is Human, You Better Believe It
  • Culture as a Wicked Problem, for Safety
  • Safety Leadership Training
  • Cultural Orientation in Risk
  • The Stanford Experiment and The Social Psychology of Risk
  • Objectivity, Audits and Attribution When Calculating Risk
  • Records of safety activities: evidence of safety or non-compliance?
  • Zero, The Seeking of Infinity
  • Safety Leadership Essentials
  • What Can Indiana Jones Tell Us About Culture
  • Safety as a Worldview
  • The Loathing of Limits
  • Culture Cannot be Framed Through Safety
  • Free Online Workshops
  • Safety Culture–Hudson’s Model
  • Book Launch – For the Love of Zero – in Portuguese
  • Advancing Backwards in Safety
  • The ‘Noise’ of Safety, Silence and Practicing of Mindfulness
  • All Things Must Pass in Risk
  • I’m just not that into safety anymore

VIRAL POST!!! HOW TO QUIT THE SAFETY INDUSTRY

FEATURED POSTS

Checklist Seduction and The Delusion of Data

The Convenience of Complacency

Real Risk for Real Life

Risk Leadership

It’s a Great Goal, it Just Doesn’t Work

SPoR Ontology and Methods – A Video

iCue Education Pack to Enable Learning in the SPoR Approach to Risk

The Psychology of Leadership in Risk

Pascal’s Wager and Sacred Safety

What’s Your Resilience Profile?

The Different Levels of Wrongness!

Celebrating 1000 Blogs on Risk

Social Psychology of Risk Two Day Workshop

The Learning (and unlearning) that Revealed my Vocation

Safety Can’t Control Nature (or People)

Humanising Leadership in Risk, Shifting the Focus from Objects to Persons

The Psychology of Blaming in Safety

Second Student Group Social Psychology of Risk

Blind Faith in Safety

The Mythic Symbology of Safety

Who is Responsible?

Safety Leadership Training

Beware the Cult of Denial

The Idealization of Humans and The Zero Delusion

It’s not in the KPI or LTI but the MRI

Social Sensemaking Available Now PLUS Free Share and Giveaway

CLLR April 2017 Newsletter–Not Your Usual Safety Newsletter!!

Coronavirus and the Dunny Paper Effect

Visual Learning and Envisioning Risk

No Hope for Safety

The New Enemy of Safety – The Unconscious

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF RISK – INTRODUCTION WORKSHOP

Towards Dumb

Data Cannot Drive Vision

How to Do the Best Risk Assessment

Heretical, Unorthodox and Sacrilegious Safety

Cognitive Dissonance and Safety Beliefs

Speak Up, Reporting and Trust in Safety

Free Books – 66 Downloads for Tackling Risk

Is there “Common Sense” in safety?

More Posts from this Category

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,498 other subscribers

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

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY?

What is Psychological Safety at Work?


WHAT IS PSYCHOSOCIAL SAFETY