I was sent a post yesterday with an apparent attempt at humour by a supposed safety professional. It was a pdf with the title of ‘Top of the Safety Cops’ and obviously trying to play some comparison to the idea of ‘top of the pops’. I won’t give this any value because any reinforcement of … [Read more...] about Safety Cops and Safety’s Adoration of Power
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Politics and Power in Safety
If one is interested in understanding politics and power the place to start is with Foucault (https://aeon.co/essays/why-foucaults-work-on-power-is-more-important-than-ever ). You can find some of his works … [Read more...] about Politics and Power in Safety
The Fear of Power and the Power of Fear
The Fear of Power and the Power of Fear One of the clear messages in the Netflix series House of Cards is the Fear of Power and the Power of Fear. The House of Cards series exemplifies what happens when one makes power the frame for exchange. The idea that coercion, compliance, power and fear are a … [Read more...] about The Fear of Power and the Power of Fear
The Power in Helping
The Power in Helping I wonder if one of the greatest privileges and opportunities we may have as a human being is to be either the recipient, or giver of, ‘help’. Being the recipient of help may be as simple as someone picking up something that we’ve dropped on the ground, through to being … [Read more...] about The Power in Helping
Safety, Ethics, SPoR and How to Foster the Abuse of Power
There seems this strange belief in the industry of safety, that any action can be justified if the intent, passion and outcome is safety. As long as the outcome is zero, any action is OK. This belief comes from a long tradition in engineering and behaviourism that commits the industry of safety … [Read more...] about Safety, Ethics, SPoR and How to Foster the Abuse of Power
Cultural Silences in Safety – Power and Politics
There are so many profound silences in safety (https://safetyrisk.net/category/safety-culture-silences/ ) when it spruiks its propaganda about culture. How astounding to speak of culture but never mention power, politics and ethics! How breathtaking to read all this safety goop and never hear a … [Read more...] about Cultural Silences in Safety – Power and Politics
Essentials in Ethics for Safety
One day when safety understands that a mature approach to ethics is essential for being professional, it might hopefully tackle the essentials in ethical and moral thinking. Unfortunately, documents like the AIHS BoK Chapter on Ethics are so glaringly inadequate it is laughable. It is also clear … [Read more...] about Essentials in Ethics for Safety
Speaking Truth to Power and Safety
Speaking Truth to Power and Safety Recently, two very brave young women delivered speeches at the National Press Club (https://youtu.be/YO8IQ_rVM8g). If you think these speeches were about ‘women issues’ or ‘sexism’ you would be wrong. The common theme of both speeches was speaking truth to power. … [Read more...] about Speaking Truth to Power and Safety
Controls, Controllers and Controlling in Safety
There is nothing more scary in safety than not having control or at not being able to talk about controls. How strange that the subject of safety that is about risk and all about uncertainty should be so fixated on controls. Of course with control comes power but in safety when you read about … [Read more...] about Controls, Controllers and Controlling in Safety
Safety Politics as Ideological Homogeneity
Safety Politics as Ideological Homogeneity One of the reasons you don’t hear much discussion about politics and ethics in the safety industry is due to naivety and unprofessional approaches to education. One cannot claim the word ‘professional’ unless one is prepared to acknowledge that all … [Read more...] about Safety Politics as Ideological Homogeneity
