• 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
  • 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 / Sucking on the Same Old Safety Bottle

Sucking on the Same Old Safety Bottle

November 8, 2020 by Dr Rob Long 3 Comments

Sucking on the Same Old Safety Bottle

imageI see posts about culture in safety and about ‘safety culture’ often articulated by voices with no expertise in the social sciences, Poetics or culture. Strange this industry that seeks views on culture through the narrow band of engineering, mechanistic disciplines and mechanistic worldviews. Most of the associations in safety were named as ‘safety engineering’ until recently.

When we think of organizations and disciplines that mature we think of ‘growing up’, ‘embracing diversity’ and ‘maturation’. Safety as a young discipline has such a need for maturation and is one of its greatest challenges.

I can think of no other discipline so confined to its own fortress of compliance and fear and inability to shift beyond its own boundaries than this safety industry. When compliance is made the measure of belonging to a group, then the group stagnates, it can never grow up and will never have vision (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/envisioning-risk-seeing-vision-and-meaning-in-risk/ ). We see the boundaries already set for this industry in a weak and narrow Body of Knowledge and Curriculum. When you keep a baby off solid foods it can’t grow up and Safety is still very much on the safety bottle.

The evidence for the immaturity of Safety is overwhelming. This is evidenced in the many juvenile and pathetic PR campaigns that define its identity (https://safetyrisk.net/doing-something-bad-well/). We see this immaturity in its addiction to a narrow behaviorist/positivist paradigm that continues to ignore all the evidence of disciplines such as Anthropology, Education, Linguistics, Semiotics, Religion/Theology, Post-Structuralism, Social Politics and Neuropsychology. Safety grabs simplistic ideas like Swiss Cheese, Bradley Curve, Risk Matrix, Bow-Tie and makes them immovable doctrine. Similarly, in culture it grabs beginning ideas and makes them the whole picture.

When it comes to understanding culture the work of Edgar Schein is a good start but only a start. As much as Schein is a pioneer of cultural studies he is not the beginning and end of cultural studies indeed, in many ways his ideas on culture are quite dated. Anchoring to Schein’s 3 factor model becomes a limiting paradigm and this is what Safety tends to do. Safety defines a body of knowledge by what it can control and simplify not by what is available. Openness to learning is the enemy of compliance.

There are a host of critical issues in cultural studies completely omitted by the Schein model of culture. Culture is NOT the combination of Psychological, Behavioural and Situational aspects. As long as Safety continues to mis-define culture it will continue to think it can control and manage it. I recently saw a supposed list of the top 10 factors critical to managing culture and safety and I wouldn’t include one of them in a focus on culture.

Similarly, the AIHS BoK on Culture 10.2.1 is extremely narrow and limiting in its understanding of culture. The starting point for this chapter in the BoK is the acceptance of safety orthodoxy and associated mechanistic worldview. There is no Transdisciplinary approach at all (https://safetyrisk.net/transdisciplinary-safety/). Indeed, the Chapter starts by accepting the worldview and constructs of Schein. The gaps in approach and assumptions explore nothing of Semiotic, Religion/Theology or Linguistics thereby keeping the approach to culture to definitions of layers and levels, behaviours, generalist psychology and context. I know of no studies globally on culture that would think it was a good idea to omit religious studies from a study of culture. This is one reason why Safety doesn’t understand its own religiosity, a sure fired way to keep one’s head in the sand and keep sucking on the safety bottle.

Of course, all of the discussion ignores the linguistics of accepted models and language such as ‘culture is what we do around here’. Indeed, there is no condemnation of this misleading language just as the AIHS BoK on Ethics model endorses Natural Law ethics by ‘check your gut’ – ignoring much of what is available in Ethics research (https://safetyrisk.net/the-aihs-bok-and-ethics-check-your-gut/ ).

Quoting Schein on page 8 it states that culture is:

… a pattern of shared basic assumptions learned by a group as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, which has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.

Again, setting Schein as the benchmark for discussion the Chapter limits questioning and its own boundaries for discussion. Schein’s classic omission of religious studies from his understanding of culture is another significant limitation.

By the time the discussion gets to the idea of ‘positive safety culture’ (p. 9) many essentials and critical ideas about culture have been excluded and a ‘format’ is developed obviously leading to the notion that culture can be understood, measured and controlled in a certain way. Ra, Ra Safety you’ve done it once again.

The literature study for this Chapter is extremely limited remaining within the boundaries of acceptable safety Discourse including reference to Reason’s cultural ‘types’ and Hudson’s ‘stages’. Imagine doing a study of culture and leaving out research by the likes of Eliade and Douglas?

So, we get to the end of the BoK on Culture left with some simple constructs that will keep Safety happy and narrow. The metaphorical nature of culture language is not discussed, the depth of semiotic understanding of culture (https://monoskop.org/images/5/5e/Lotman_Yuri_M_Universe_of_the_Mind_A_Semiotic_Theory_of_Culture_1990.pdf) is not discussed and of course no notion of religious Discourse within the addiction to zero or the denial of fallibility. The guiding mantra for the BoK is to leave the sacred ideology of zero untouched. At no stage does a Transdisciplinary approach to culture enter any discussion in the BoK chapter on culture. In this way Safety can keep culture measured and controlled governed by ‘what we do around here’.

All of this helps Safety keep to the three ways, 5 steps, four stages, 3 circles and related dogma it has constructed over the past 20 years. Indeed, as part of its culture all the sacred things can remain untouched – Safety rituals, mantras, semiotics, metaphorical Discourse, pyramids, curves and constructed mythology can remain untouched.

In this way all remains safe and secure, we know what we need to know and there is nothing outside of the safety discipline that we need to know. So, consult the same old sources within the same old club and all will be well, and keep sucking on the same old safety bottle.

  • 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
  • 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
  • The Worst Approach to Psychosocial Problems is an Attitude of ‘Fixing’ - 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, Robert Long, Safety Culture Tagged With: AIHS BoK, safety models, schein

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bernard Corden says

    November 10, 2020 at 10:23 AM

    And it has the gall to market its trash as continual professional development

    Reply
  2. Rob Long says

    November 10, 2020 at 9:03 AM

    Both Reason’s and Schein’s models of culture are pretty much beginner 101 when it comes to culture. and you are right, Safefty is addicted to the neo-Kantian Discourse.

    Reply
  3. Bernard Corden says

    November 10, 2020 at 8:25 AM

    James Reason implies that a safety culture can be engineered and Edgar Schein believes it cannot so safety resorts to the neo Kantian thesis-antithesis-synthesis triad, which Karl Marx referred to as the “Wooden Trichotomies”. It can hardly be described as transdisciplinary.

    Reply

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!!

SAFETY MYTHS SERIES

The Mythic Symbology of Safety

Posture Myths and Holistic Ergonomics

Safety Mythbusters

Don’t Be Emotional! Another Safety Myth

Tackling the Challenge of Heuristics in Safety

The Myth of Normal

NEW! Free Download

Please take our 2 minute zero survey

Recent Comments

  • 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?
  • Matt Thorne on Free Online Workshops

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
  • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS, CHECKISTS, REGISTERS, TEMPLATES and APPS
  • NATIONAL SAFETY DAY/WEEK IN INDIA 2023
  • 15 Safety Precautions When Working With Electricity
  • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators
  • The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health

Recent Posts

  • An Advanced Understanding of Culture – A Video
  • 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
  • Sticks and Stones and the Nonsense of Zero Harm

VIRAL POST!!! HOW TO QUIT THE SAFETY INDUSTRY

FEATURED POSTS

Who is Responsible?

Safety Gives Me the Right over Other Rights

Fooled by Certainty

The Tension of Opposites and Binaries in Risk

Like a Collective Brain Snap

The Domino Delusion in Safety

Implementing SPoR in the Workplace, A Video

Risky Conversations Book Launch in Perth

Safety and Risk Leadership Master Class

Risk vs Hazard vs Safety

It’s not weird – it’s a psychological safety initiative!

The Hero Myth in Modern Management

Safety Cries Wolf!

Holistic Responses to Mental Health

Why we make mistakes

Sensemaking and ‘Hapori’ – Essential for Tackling Risk in New Zealand

ACTOR + ACTION + TIME = EVENT

Sexual Stereotyping Can Be Deadly

Safety Can’t Control Nature (or People)

Safety For the Common Good

The Power in Silence

The Brain as Computer Myth

Myth and Symbols in Safety

Deepwater Horizon and The Suppression of Risky Conversations

WHS Legislation is NOT about Safety it’s about Culture

Rituals in Risk Management – Podcast

Why Safety Doesn’t See Things

Ten Secrets to Risk and Safety Motivation and Ownership

The Strange Challenge of Unlearning in Safety

Who is the Enemy and What War is Safety Fighting?

Please Don’t Try to Fix Me – I’m Not a Machine

The Problem with Zero Harm

People are not Rats–Moving Beyond Behaviour Based Safety

Is Safety a Choice You Make?

Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink – Improving Safety the SMART Way

Safety and Risk Culture Cloud

Safety as Policing

Safety’s Garden of Eden Complex

Chronic Unease is Not Enough

3 Things I learned about Safety from Buddhism

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?