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You are here: Home / Robert Long / Safety for True Believers

Safety for True Believers

July 23, 2015 by Dr Rob Long 5 Comments

askingSafety for True Believers

Is the safety industry a religion? You work it out.

Religion

Safety

God ordains salvation Individuals ordain salvation – ‘safety is a choice’ – ‘unsafety is a choice’

https://safetyrisk.net/is-safety-a-choice-you-make/

Aspiration to perfection

God is omniscient

Aspiration to perfection – Humans are omniscient

‘All accidents are preventable’

Sense of the sacred Sense of the sacred, safety is above all things and justifies all power over others
Sacred texts dictate knowledge Sacred texts dictate knowledge (SWMS, Risk Assessments)
Studying sacred texts, can’t be taken away Studying sacred texts: legislation, regulation, standards and codes of practice, can only be added to, can’t be taken away
Belief in the absolute (zero=infinity) Belief in the absolute (zero=infinity)

https://www.learner.org/courses/learningmath/number/pdfs/session1/session1.pdf

‘Cardinal’ rules/sin ‘Cardinal’ rules (eg. https://asciano.com.au/system/ckeditor_assets/attachments/34/patricksafetycardinalrulesjune2011.pdf)
Delusions visions Delusions visions

http://oshwiki.eu/wiki/Zero_accident_vision

http://www.perosh.eu/research-projects/perosh-projects/safety-culture-and-accidents-promotion-of-zero-accident-vision/

http://www.robwel.ca/documents/zero_incident.pdf

Original sin (humans are innately sinful) Original sin (Humans are innately unsafe – Bradley Curve ‘Natural Instincts’ http://www.dupont.com.au/products-and-services/consulting-services-process-technologies/brands/sustainable-solutions/sub-brands/operational-risk-management/uses-and-applications/bradley-curve.html

https://vimeo.com/124273239

Disbelief results in excommunication

Believers and unbelievers

Disbelief in zero results in excommunication

Believers and unbelievers

Infallibility – God

Mortality – humans

Infallibility – Humans

Mortality is denied

http://contractormag.com/news/cm_newsarticle_55

Shibboleths for in-out groupness Shibboleths for in-out groupness
Binary opposition irrationality Binary opposition irrationality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYwPMIpXMmM

Taboos Taboos
Professionalised class of people Professionalised class of people
Vestments Salvation through PPE fixation
Mantras as absolutes Mantras as absolutes
Gobbeldygook language Beyond zero, zero plus etc

http://nsca.org.au/beyond-zero-harm-human-factor-safety/

http://www.beyond-zero.com/

http://www.cos-mag.com/safety/safety-columns/zero-tolerance-rules-are-anything-but-absolute.html

Priests as gatekeepers Zero Harm Managers as gatekeepers
Intolerance Intolerance

http://www.z-safetyservices.org/en/zero-tolerance.cshtml?nav=2

Sunk cost in traditions Sunk cost in traditions
Acknowledgement of suffering and pain as the human condition Denial of suffering and pain as the human condition
Exclusive knowledge and language Exclusive knowledge and language

https://safetyrisk.net/safety-slogans/

Faith and belief irrational discourse Faith and belief in irrational discourse – eg. LTIs as a measure of culture, Heinrich’s pyramid
Rituals and symbols Rituals and symbols

https://safetyrisk.net/this-toaster-is-hot/

Unquestioned traditions Unquestioned traditions
Certainty in the face of uncertainty Certainty in the face of uncertainty

‘All accidents are preventable’

Internal cults Internal cults
Eugenics, weed out non-believers Eugenics, weed out non-believers

http://sia.org.au/forums/showpost.asp?ContentID=105270&ContainerID=2960&TopNodeID=105270

Narrow training

70% of religious studies is on the shape of belief

Narrow training

70% of safety training is on Legislation and Regulation, the shape of belief

Military language of warfare Military language of warfare

http://www.safetydifferently.com/lean-green-safety-machine-part-3/

Identity against the enemy Identity against the enemy

http://www.safetydifferently.com/lean-green-safety-machine-part-1/

Fear and lack of critical theory Fear and lack of critical theory
Entitlement in knowledge, religious knowledge extends to all of life Entitlement in knowledge, a Dip WHS and safety experience makes one expert in everything (apparently)
Making things holy Non-negotiables
Denial and defensiveness Denial and defensiveness
Hierarchies and pyramids Hierarchies and pyramids
Calculative culture, who is saved and not saved, presence of something by the absence of something Calculative culture, who is saved and not saved, presence of something by the absence of something, injury as a measure of safety
Enculturated overconfidence, we have all the answers Enculturated overconfidence, safety has all the answers (positivism)
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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)

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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.

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