Semiotics and Safety I read with interest a conference proposed for November 2014 entitled ‘Beyond Zero Harm, Human Factors Safety’. The subtitle of the conference is ‘Humanising impacts in safety operations to reengineer safety approach for enhanced productivity and business profitability’. Oh … [Read more...] about Semiotics and Safety
culture
Culture is NOT a Construct
One of the most important things to know about culture is that it is beyond definition, proposition and mechanistic thinking. One can’t control, define or ‘engineer’ culture as if it is a ‘thing’. Indeed, this is one of the characteristics of discourse in safety about culture, usually coming from … [Read more...] about Culture is NOT a Construct
Risk and Cultural Values
Cultural Values and Translation by Trade One of the most important things we discover in a study of culture is that other people are not like us. This is why it is so crazy to assume ‘common sense’, this is why it’s so misleading to even talk about ‘common sense’. The more we use this language the … [Read more...] about Risk and Cultural Values
A Book to Help Get You Started on Cultural Improvement in Risk
I was talking to a COO yesterday about their attempts to improve their Organisational Culture. They had been using a scattergun approach using LinkedIn Lectures, Simon Sinek and BBS, and not getting the results they wanted. In fact, when pushed to what results they wanted, it was explained as a … [Read more...] about A Book to Help Get You Started on Cultural Improvement in Risk
Risk Culture and Cultural Risk
Risk Culture and Cultural Risk When the risk and safety industry defines culture it doesn’t consider critical aspects of culture. The most common definition is that culture is ‘what we do around here’ which fits in nicely with the behaviourist-cognitivist worldview that dominates the sector. So … [Read more...] about Risk Culture and Cultural Risk
Dolphyn’s First Newsletter for 2015
Late last year I Unsubscribed to dozens of “safety” newsletters (See Isn’t Safety Supposed to be a Positive Thing). Every time I opened these newsletters I was confronted by fines & punishments, legislative updates, death & injury, PPE and the latest snake oil – That’s not safety - I was … [Read more...] about Dolphyn’s First Newsletter for 2015
How Do You Know If You Are Leading in Risk and Safety?
How Do You Know If You Are Leading in Risk and Safety? The current marketing at ANU has caught on to the trend in describing one’s self as a ‘thought leader’ (See Youtube Video). You can join a thought leaders group, buy a thought leaders app and even ‘engineer’ a thought leader. Some have caught … [Read more...] about How Do You Know If You Are Leading in Risk and Safety?
How NOT to do Anything About Culture in Building and Construction
How NOT to do Anything About Culture in Building and Construction The recently released Culture Standard for the Construction Industry (https://www.cultureinconstruction.com.au/culture-standard/ ) is a classic example of how to look like culture is identified and being addressed, when it is not. … [Read more...] about How NOT to do Anything About Culture in Building and Construction
Culture To Go – Delivering Results Now!
An informed culture learns by means of ongoing debate and constantly shifting discrepancies - Karl E. Weick (2007) Culture to go…… Delivering results now! Organisations interested in cultural change need to think about, and understand their existing culture, then work hard over time to move toward … [Read more...] about Culture To Go – Delivering Results Now!
Just as Well Culture Doesn’t Listen to Safety
In Hopkin’s chapter (4) The Use and Abuse of “Culture” in Safety Culture, Culture Models the assumption is made that misunderstanding and misuse of an idea is ‘abusive’. (The use of such an emotive term is never explained by Hopkins, nor is any connection made between supposed ‘confusion’ and … [Read more...] about Just as Well Culture Doesn’t Listen to Safety