Safety 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

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

Critical Thinking Needed More Than Ever in Safety - January 21, 2025
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Hearing Voices - January 18, 2025
You Can’t ‘Bust’ Myths - January 18, 2025
There is No Such Thing as an HRO - January 18, 2025

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.

Safety for True Believers