When you make your raison d’être (reason for being) the counting of injuries then one loses all perspective and vision. When you mantra is ‘zero harm’ we all know that means – ‘selective harm’ – zero vision.
Everyone in the Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ) industry knows that zero is nonsense. This meaningless mantra that drives the global HSEQ industry (http://visionzero.global/node/6 ) is nothing but ‘smoke screen’ spin for doing what you like. We saw this with DuPont (https://safetyrisk.net/dark-waters-the-true-story-of-dupont-and-zero/) and now with Rio Tinto (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-05/rio-tinto-knew-6-years-ago-about-46000yo-rock-caves-it-blasted/12319334).
So knowingly destroying archaeological sites of global significance is the ‘zero-harm approach’ (https://www.mining-technology.com/mining-safety/mining-safety-rio-tinto-kennecot)!
When your mantra is zero then paper cuts and sprained ankles are amplified whilst priceless artefacts and indigenous heritage are just dirt.
It is clear that Rio Tinto just like DuPont, knew of the harm they were causing when they took action in May 2020. Then all nicely packaged with the appropriate spin of zero, Rio utters a ‘sorry’ and more spin of ‘we care for cultural heritage’ (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-28/rio-tinto-blasting-indigenous-site-prompts-heritage-protection/12296958 ). This is how Zero works!
Scholars in archaeology, cultural heritage and the Chair of UNESCO state that this action by Rio is the equivalent of Islamic State (ISIS) blowing up Palmyra (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/23/isis-blows-up-temple-dating-back-to-17ad-in-unesco-listed-syrian-city; https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm/pilbara-cave-explosion-on-par-with-palmyra—unesco-chair/12297884 ).
‘Zero’ is the language of binary dumb down thinking and all the tier 1 companies speak it as if somehow fallibility doesn’t exist, even their own fallibility (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/fallibility-risk-living-uncertainty/ ). When you make your target zero then you make yourself a big target! You target will then be used against you, both in the media and in the courts, but still the industry continues its Love of Zero (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/for-the-love-of-zero-free-download/).
Zero is not just a number but rather a semiotic and ideology. Zero creates a petty mindset that burrows deep down into insignificant human injury and blows it out of all proportion. Then, allows Real Risks (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/real-risk/ ) to disappear into insignificance.
Of course, there is no comment on ‘zero’ (the global safety mantra) in the AIHS BoK on Ethics and this is most significant. Safety clearly knows how to be silent and when to be noisy. Silent on Ethics and noisy on numbers, that’s the zero way, that’s the zero approach!
Dr Rob Long
Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)
- Shared Ritual in the Safety Congregation? - October 24, 2021
- Practice, Repetition, Habit, Routine, Ritual and Decision Making in Risk - October 23, 2021
- Safety Cosmetics - October 18, 2021
- The Myth of the SWMS Manifesto - October 16, 2021
- Visual Thinking and Risk - October 15, 2021
Admin says
I wonder what poor bugger had to take the fall for this one? At what point should someone have said: “surely this isn’t the right thing to do?”
rob long says
Zero makes people deaf, dumb and blind. The essential skills for promotion in any Tier 1.
bernardcorden says
It will certainly not be Chris Salisbury who will more than likely receive an order of chivalry:
https://www.riotinto.com/en/about/executive-committee/chris-salisbury
Rio Tinto has been doing this for years:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/01/rio-tinto-accused-of-violating-human-rights-in-bougainville-for-not-cleaning-up-panguna-mine
https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2020/03/29/HRL012_HRLC_Panguna_mine_report_FA.pdf
Admin says
there is a position on the Exec team heading up both Growth & Innovation and Health & Safety. How do you spell “mutually exclusive”?
rob long says
The moment you anchor to zero the most important corporate position is ‘spin doctor’.
bernardcorden says
I just wonder how much of this will be discussed at the forthcoming AIHS virtual national conference with its theme of politics and power.
rob long says
Have you seen the agenda, not one presentation on politics or power, astounding.
bernardcorden says
It is quite embarrassing but hardly surprising:
Tanta stultitia mortalium est – Seneca
Rob long says
If you love zero then the trajectory is clear
https://www.smh.com.au/national/default-setting-stuck-on-destroy-fmg-s-plan-to-blast-60-000-year-old-site-20200608-p550ld.html
Rob long says
More zero harm for you
https://www.crikey.com.au/2020/06/11/bhp-rio-tinto-indigenous-sites-destroyed/
bernardcorden says
The three-day online conference will challenge the thinking of health and safety professionals and set the agenda for exploring the impact of ‘Politics and Power’ on workplace health and safety.
Watching looped recordings of Walker Texas Ranger, The Voice or My Kitchen Rules would be much more stimulating and at least provides some integrity.
rob long says
Just like Ethics that is not about Ethics, so too politics and power is not about either.
bernardcorden says
Yet another example of zero harm under the federal government DFAT Pacific Labour Mobility scheme:
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/pacific-labour-scheme/vi-BB15k0XN
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-11/pacific-island-scheme-wages-deducted-high-rent-inverell/12336278
https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/pacific/engagement/pacific-labour-mobility/Pages/default
https://www.fipgroup.com.au/
Despite industrial relations and safety legislation indentured servitude, peonage and blackbirding remain prevalent: