The foundation for an ethic starts with a consideration of Power and Technique (Ellul). Well before one can articulate any idea of virtues (https://safetyrisk.net/ten-virtues-for-a-positive-safety-culture/) or vices, one needs to be clear about a founding philosophy (methodology). Tinkering about … [Read more...] about An Ethic of Non-Power in Risk
power
Types of Power and the Power of Types in Safety
There is not just power but also types of power, all exercised differently, according to context. Power is very much socially recognised and socially felt and is about capacity to enact something. This is why when Safety Differently talks about ‘capacity’ and ‘harnessing’ it’s talking about … [Read more...] about Types of Power and the Power of Types in Safety
Being Sensitised to Power in Safety
The beginning of understanding ethico-political accountability, responsibility and useability is understanding the nature of power. So often, those who are not sensitised to the nature of power only discover what it means when it affects them. The key to the perception of harm is an … [Read more...] about Being Sensitised to Power in Safety
Safety Risk and Power
10 minutes of my thoughts on how some of the things we do in safety can have the unintended consequence of increasing risk by disempowering the very people we are trying to empower (and something I think we can do about it). … [Read more...] about Safety Risk and Power
The Power and Powerlessness of Safety
When it comes to a discussion of ethics, how curious that Safety never talks about power. In the AIHS BoK Chapter on Ethics it gets no mention. How strange, when the foundation of any ethic is an understanding of power. This is the level of intelligence one gets from a mono-disciplinary association … [Read more...] about The Power and Powerlessness of Safety
Safety Culture Silences – Power – republished
One of the most profound silences in safety culture is, silence on the nature of power. Understanding power is the foundation of ethics, which is why the AIHS Chapter on Ethics makes no mention of it. In any profession worthy of the name, the beginning of articulating an ethic is understanding … [Read more...] about Safety Culture Silences – Power – republished
Safety Cops and Safety’s Adoration of Power
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
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