Humanising Workers Compensation – Conversation on the Couch with Rob and James In this 2 part video series, a couple of our authors, Rob Sams and James Ellis, have a chat about the dehumanizing discourse in the field of workers compensation and how it dis-empowers injured workers by removing their … [Read more...] about Talking Risk Videos – Humanising Workers Compensation
discourse
Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple
'Tis the season to be decorating the workplace with safety slogans so I thought I should republish this classic: Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple One of the most annoying things about social media, especially Linkedin (as its intention is to be professional), is the constant … [Read more...] about Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple
Dumb Ways to Discourse, a Failed Approach in Safety
Dumb Ways to Discourse, a Failed Approach in Safety The Dumb Ways to Die campaign is a classic example of a failure to think about the trajectory of a goal and trajectory of a discourse. The Dumb Ways to Die campaign and it’s self-assessed success (based on hits on the Internet) demonstrate … [Read more...] about Dumb Ways to Discourse, a Failed Approach in Safety
Personifying Objects in Safety
The personification of objects is a Poetic device understood by anyone with an ounce of intelligence about linguistics (https://cllr.com.au/product/linguistics-flyer-unit-21/ ). Poetic devices are used constantly by Safety in safety but few know what they are actually saying … [Read more...] about Personifying Objects in Safety
The Problem with Zero Harm
The Problem with Zero Harm This short video discusses one of the many arguments against the zero harm concept, zero language and discourse. The language of zero as an absolute and the framing of risk and safety in perfectionism is deeply problematic for establishing a culture of openness, … [Read more...] about The Problem with Zero Harm
Take Safety Seriously
Take Safety Seriously This is the edict of the Queensland Resource Council on 13 August 2014, ‘take safety concerns seriously’. The assumption of course is that workers don’t take safety seriously, what an amazing assumption. What else, when ones reality is dictated by injury data. When the data is … [Read more...] about Take Safety Seriously
Three Lessons in How to be Unprofessional
Three Lessons in How to be Unprofessional One of the critical skills of professionalism is Discourse Analysis. It is through Discourse Analysis that we understand the power in messages revealing: ethic, politick and motive. Discourse Analysis is also foundational to Social Psychology. You … [Read more...] about Three Lessons in How to be Unprofessional
Safety Holistically a Case for Change
Where you start in safety drives trajectories. Foundational beliefs and assumptions create directionality and a worldview that interprets reality. These foundations are a philosophy, ideology and methodology for what one normalizes as ‘safety work’. The foundational assumptions of ‘safety work’ are … [Read more...] about Safety Holistically a Case for Change
Your Aspiration is Your Commitment and Discourse
Your Aspiration is Your Commitment and Discourse It’s amazing how the zero fence sitters think that stating a goal as ‘aspirational’ is some kind of let off from the toxicity embedded in discourse. One cannot separate the language of what is stated from the Discourse within it. One can’t separate … [Read more...] about Your Aspiration is Your Commitment and Discourse
They’re Only Words….. Aren’t They?
They’re Only Words….. Aren’t They? Republished by request - Check out the new book by Rob Sams “Words provide a voice to our deepest feelings. I tell you, words have started and stopped wars. Words have built and lost fortunes. Words have saved and taken lives. Words have won and lost great … [Read more...] about They’re Only Words….. Aren’t They?