Lessons learnt from my safety jobs Reflection by the late George Robotham In my 38 years in OHS I have helped my employers cope with the aftermath of 13 fatalities, one case of paraplegia, one major stress case and a very serious burns case. Speaking from personal experience the most devastating … [Read more...] about Lessons learnt from my safety jobs
Safety Reflections
The Effects of Retrenchments & Redundancies
Retrenchment or redundancy affects different people in different ways. Some take the opportunity for a long awaited career change, others do something they always wanted to do but never had the spare cash or the balls to to – like start a business. Others go into a spiral of depression….. This is … [Read more...] about The Effects of Retrenchments & Redundancies
Improving Safety Through Interpersonal Skills
George’s Safety Reflections - by the late George Robotham Improving Safety Using Interpersonal skills When interviewing OHS professionals many interviewers focus on their technical skills. Frankly I think communications and interpersonal skills are much more important than technical skills. You … [Read more...] about Improving Safety Through Interpersonal Skills
Why Rugby Union players make better OHS professionals than Rugby League players
Why Rugby Union players make better OHS professionals than Rugby League players By the late George Robotham OHS is about leadership, teamwork, skill and communications in an enjoyable environment. Let us compare the 2 Rugby codes. Leadership Rugby league is famous for leaders who rat on … [Read more...] about Why Rugby Union players make better OHS professionals than Rugby League players
25 Ways to stuff up a Safety Management System
Today is probably the most important national occasion in Australia and NZ. ANZAC Day – 25 April – marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The day our combined forces landed on the beaches at Gallipoli in 1915 … [Read more...] about 25 Ways to stuff up a Safety Management System
Leadership in safety – Trust
Leadership in safety – Trust If people do not trust those leading safety change there will never be wholehearted adoption of the leaders approach. People may agree to the leaders face but do little to advance the leaders ideas, innovative ways to sabotage the leader quite often occur in a … [Read more...] about Leadership in safety – Trust
Young Worker Safety
Young Worker Safety Photo: Colorado Historical Society Working with young people brings unique safety challenges to the OHS professional, supervisors and managers. Workers 15-24 have a 75% greater chance of being killed on the job, often their accidents happen in the first 2 weeks of … [Read more...] about Young Worker Safety
Alternatives to the hierarchy of hazard controls
Alternatives to the hierarchy of hazard controls The traditional wisdom when developing hazard controls is to use the Hierarchy of Controls. The author’s experience is that a better result will be achieved by using either Haddon’s 10 Countermeasures or the A.C.I.R.L. 9 Box Model. The main advantage … [Read more...] about Alternatives to the hierarchy of hazard controls
Behaviour Based Safety
Behaviour-Based Safety Many will have you believe around 90% or more of accidents are caused by human behaviour. I have written elsewhere questioning this assertion, even if it were true it is unhelpful. My view is that there are a number of proponents of B.B.S. who make outlandish claims about … [Read more...] about Behaviour Based Safety
Major mistakes made in implementing OHS
Safety Reflections by the late George Robotham read more reflections HERE Major mistakes I have seen made in implementing OHS The biggest mistake is management and supervision making decisions about safety without input from the workforce Bear in mind some are not interested in contributing, … [Read more...] about Major mistakes made in implementing OHS