In safety, your ideology/methodology drives expectations, procedures, systems and behaviours. This week we saw the release of the report into the HMNZS Manawanui accident. HMNZS Manawanui ran aground off the coast of Samoa shortly before 7pm on October 5 2024 and caught fire. The ship sank on … [Read more...] about You Get What You Expect in Safety or, How the Burden of James Reason’s Ideology Bogs Down Safety
human error
Human Error is Unpreventable
Human Error is Unpreventable The ideology of zero creates the most absurd language and symbols. I read yesterday about a group in a government department who were hauled off to a zero harm campaign indoctrination session, complete with a forced ‘commitment statement to zero harm’ at the end. The … [Read more...] about Human Error is Unpreventable
How Do Workers Make Decisions?
How Do Workers Make Decisions? This is the question on the tongue of Safety but has no idea of an answer. I saw a video recently about ‘predicting behaviour in safety’. This was a slick piece of multimedia that probably cost hundreds of thousands of dollars with executives speaking and sports … [Read more...] about How Do Workers Make Decisions?
Desperados waiting for a train
No one to follow and nothing to teach Except that the goal falls short of the reach Leonard Cohen – The Goal 1 Any research or discussions regarding transport disasters across Australia will inevitably recall the horrific but often forgotten bus crashes that occurred on the northern coast of News … [Read more...] about Desperados waiting for a train
To Err is Human, To Forgive Divine
To Err is Human, To Forgive Divine The fixation of Safety with this little phrase and its misreading by the industry shows so clearly that the safety industry lacks the ability to think critically about error. A recent debate at an SIA conference (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnMLHjrSFJw ) … [Read more...] about To Err is Human, To Forgive Divine
Just Shut The Gates?
Just Shut The Gates? Another pondering from sharp end for discussion – by James Parkinson from www.safety-consultant.com.au In the safety field I have learned to accept that not all things can be controlled the way some people would like to think they can be. In saying this, it brings me to … [Read more...] about Just Shut The Gates?
Learning Doesn’t Provide Immunity
Learning Doesn’t Provide Immunity Just because I’ve learnt a little about how I make decisions and judgments, it does not mean that I will always make better decisions. I know that I am vulnerable in my decision-making and that it is thick with bias. Perhaps the best I can hope for is to recognise … [Read more...] about Learning Doesn’t Provide Immunity
Situational Awareness and Human Error
Situational Awareness and Human Error An interesting article by Sidney Dekker on the Safety Differently Blog: Is It 1947 Yet? Neither Lieutenant Nathan Poloski’s body, nor his F/A-18 Hornet were ever found in waters almost three miles deep. All that was located in the Western Pacific after his … [Read more...] about Situational Awareness and Human Error
The Error Diary
The Error Diary Just discovered this quirky website “The Error Diary”. Sign up and reveal your daily errors on line or you can hashtag (sounds like I know what that means but I have no idea?) #errordiary from Twitter. They also collect and publish articles about error from the world of medicine, … [Read more...] about The Error Diary
Reverse Engineering Safety Offerings
Reverse Engineering Safety Offerings By Phil La Duke – see the whole article here Extracts: I don’t have all the answers; not about safety and not about anything else. Furthermore, as much as it may seem to the contrary, I don’t even THINK that I have all the answers, but there are people in … [Read more...] about Reverse Engineering Safety Offerings