The way I go about my work has changed significantly over the past few years. When I think back to 2010, my work could best be described as mechanistic and routine. I worked in ‘health and safety’ and that mostly meant developing, and then assessing systems and processes which, when I reflect on … [Read more...] about Who Decides What is Ugly?
Safety systems
Rasmussen Refuse
One of the fascinating things about Safety is how it uses Archetype language and personification as if objects have a life of their own. We observe this in how Rasmussen writes about Systems. Yet, how strange when others describe Safety as an Archetype with a life of its own, they are condemned as … [Read more...] about Rasmussen Refuse
Paperwork and Usability in Tackling Risk
Most workers don’t ‘use’ paperwork, they just sign it just as many workers don’t read paperwork they just give it the ‘tick and flick’. The idea of excessive paperwork in safety is much more a middle management problem than a worker problem. The real decisions on the job where the greatest risk is … [Read more...] about Paperwork and Usability in Tackling Risk
Understanding Systems and Ecologies in Risk
Understanding Systems and Ecologies in Risk It was Karl Weick (1979) who defined organizing as: ‘consensually validated grammar for reducing equivocality by means of sensible interlocking behaviours’. This is such a comprehensive definition of how humans organize. If we think of organizing as … [Read more...] about Understanding Systems and Ecologies in Risk
Making Sense of Safety Management Systems
Making Sense of Safety Management Systems Guest Post by George Stavrou - SH&E Manager. This was an assignment submitted as part of his studies at The Centre For Leadership, Learning and Risk My car has started showing signs of ageing, signalling upcoming costly repairs. In other words, it’s … [Read more...] about Making Sense of Safety Management Systems
The Futility of the Centralised Safety Management System?
Whenever I run the MiProfile diagnostic (https://www.humandymensions.com/services-and-programs/miprofile/) in organizations it always turns out that over 60% of people state that they do not understand the Safety Management System (SMS). With data from over 300 organizations and 60,000 participants … [Read more...] about The Futility of the Centralised Safety Management System?
Process driven or People driven? What’s your Focus?
Process driven or People driven? What’s your Focus? I had the privilege last weekend to be with a family grieving for one of their family members, Margaret, in ICU. I was sitting with them beside her as she fought for her life. At first I found myself being an observer. I sat back and took it all … [Read more...] about Process driven or People driven? What’s your Focus?
Anchoring, Framing and Priming Risk
Anchoring, Framing and Priming Risk One of the foundations of communicating to the unconscious through semiotics is understanding how words, language, signs, symbols and discourse ‘prime’, ‘frame’ and ‘anchor’ at an unconscious level. Every communication operates at a number of levels and it is … [Read more...] about Anchoring, Framing and Priming Risk
Balancing Tight and Loose Coupled Systems
Balancing Tight and Loose Coupled Systems My last two articles on art and helping, generated feedback and questions that are worthy of further explanation. Amongst the feedback was that I ‘systems bash’ when I write about risk and safety. Firstly, while I can understand how people may feel that I … [Read more...] about Balancing Tight and Loose Coupled Systems
A Great Comparison of Risk and Safety Schools of Thought
A Great Comparison of Risk and Safety Schools of Thought If you are struggling to get your head around the Social Psychology of Risk and Safety or wondering why your compliance, BBS or zero harm based programs are having the opposite effect from what your intended then here is a really useful … [Read more...] about A Great Comparison of Risk and Safety Schools of Thought