One of the grand delusions of Safety is its focus on physical harm. This is fostered by the silly language of ‘hazards’ and ‘controls’. Even then, the silly industry describes psychosocial harm as a ‘hazard’ (https://safetyrisk.net/what-is-psychosocial-safety/ ). You couldn’t make such stupidity … [Read more...] about Scars That Never Heal
psychosocial hazards
The AIHS PHS Con
The PHS Con 24 is an event proposed by the AIHS branded as ‘Psych Health’. The real problem about this is that the safety industry doesn’t understand psychosocial issues as a ‘health’ issue but rather as a ‘hazard’. We all know that Safety is fixated with hazards … [Read more...] about The AIHS PHS Con
Not Just Another ‘Hazard’
When one reads ISO 45003 or any other Codes of Practice regarding Psychosocial Health it is clear that the engineers are in town. It is as if a ‘cut and paste’ has been done associating Psychosocial health as if it is just another hazard. It is NOT! Of course, the history of the safety industry … [Read more...] about Not Just Another ‘Hazard’
The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health
Safety is the industry of ‘hazards’ and ‘controls’. This is the most popular and frequently used language for an industry that struggles to be ethical and professional. Now with the advent of ISO 45003, all of a sudden, this industry has to become person-centric, human-centric and holistic, fat … [Read more...] about The Language of ‘Hazards’ and Psychosocial, Mental Health
Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
One of the foundations in the development of Social Psychology was the study of the Nazis and in-group and out-groupness. Most Histories of Social Psychology trace its roots back to Kurt Lewin. Lewin (a Jew) like many of the founders of Social Psychology like Milgram, Zimbardo etc. simply … [Read more...] about Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
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
Psychosocial Safety, Is it possible to make it culturally normal?
Most people would agree that wanting a Psycho-Socially safe workplace is a desirable thing. The Federal Government of Australia definitely thought so when they introduced Psycho-Social Hazards into managing Health and Safety see SafeWork Australia . All of us have biases that reflect our … [Read more...] about Psychosocial Safety, Is it possible to make it culturally normal?
How to Be Oriented Towards Psychosocial and Mental Health in Safety
Continuing with our series on Psychosocial Safety Dos and Don’ts Don’t ever associate Psychosocial and Mental Health with hazards. Whilst Psychosocial and Mental Health pose many challenges for organisations, these challenges are NOT hazards. Such language can only ever toxify the workplace … [Read more...] about How to Be Oriented Towards Psychosocial and Mental Health in Safety
ISO 45003 and What it Cannot Do
As we read through the ISO Standard 45003 we see so much nonsense language it is difficult to know where to start. So, let’s just progress through the document and respond to the language used. (We will tackle the complementary codes of practice another time). Point 1 in Scope we have this: ‘It … [Read more...] about ISO 45003 and What it Cannot Do