Investigations and Heuristics One of the traps investigators fall into is thinking that people are the sum of inputs and outputs, that the behaviourist myth is true. Decision making in complex and far more sophisticated than the naïve proposals of the behaviourist worldview. Rewards and punishments are not primarily the cause of behaviours. There are […]
heuristics
Under Par Safety
Under Par Safety Our brains are wired for inadvertence and laziness, not for attention and choice. So why do we force people to attend long winded safety meetings which bore people to death? Also, our brains are not designed to think in binary logic, so why have we created systems which force people to complete […]
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Construction workers safer when they ditch the manual: study
Construction workers safer when they ditch the manual: study We all know (or suspect) that safety manuals really aren’t designed for ease of worker use and effectiveness but rather to comply with legislation, to pass audits and win tenders – the very cynical may use terms like “Cover Your Arse”. They are written by “experts” […]
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The Repression of Uncertainty
I recently republished this on Linkedin Pulse where it inspired some very positive comments, be sure to check out the 20 keys to maturing in safety leadership at the end of the article: If you are a Parent, a Partner, a Leader or a Safety Person then you have learned, the hard way, that people cannot be controlled, […]
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The Fallible Factor and What to Do About It
One of my favourites from the archives: The Fallible Factor and What to Do About It Being fallible doesn’t mean one is inevitably stupid, lazy, greedy or weak, there are as many advantages to being human and fallible as there are limitations. No one should want humans to be robotic – this would make us […]
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Nonsense Curves and Pyramids
Nonsense Curves and Pyramids Safety likes nothing more than curves and pyramids, nothing so exciting as parading out the Bradley Curve or Heinrich’s Pyramid to get the troops excited about failure and loss. The Bradley Curve was created by DuPont in 1995 to try and benchmark notions of culture and performance in relationship to safety. […]
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Its All In The Sign
Its All In The Sign A brilliant essay by Max Geyer, submitted as part of his study for the Graduate Certificate in the Psychology of Risk – published here with his permission: Norretranders (1998) provides ample evidence that the unconscious plays a major role in communication. This paper looks at the critical nature of unconscious communication […]
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Release the Safety Monster and Wreck a Good TV Show
There are calls by the safety zealots to have TV DIY Shows ensure they set a good safety example (compliance is the most commonly used word) – Dr Rob Long responds: Release the Safety Monster and Wreck a Good TV Show I’m not much of a fan of reality TV shows especially the home renovation […]
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The Conundrum in Discerning Risk
Dr Rob Long, Author of Real Risk – Human Discerning and Risk (download Ch1 Here), explains why we switch to autopilot when under normal work pressures, despite the safety world trying to impose rational thinking processes during inductions, tool box talks or via SWMS. The Conundrum in Discerning Risk When it comes to discerning risk […]
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HAZARDMAN Won’t Save You
Hazard Man Won’t Save You Article by Dr Rob Long about a new comic based safety campaign about to be launched in Schools. The reaction from my two teenage boys: “Huh? – that’s just stupid!” and “Geez, Nooo!” Watch the video below and you will see what I mean! Quote: It is amazing that the […]
