But We Have Safety Systems in Place One of the most successful myths of Safety is that one is protected by having systems in place. What we learned from Greg Smith in Risky Conversations, The Law, Social Psychology and Risk (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/risky-conversations/) was that … [Read more...] about But We Have Safety Systems in Place
Safety Systems
A Comparison of Safety Paradigms
A paradigm is a distinct set of concept and thinking that result in distinct practices. In recent times it has occurred to coroners at inquests, auditors and government that poor safety culture has a central role in normalising unsafe practice. Inspectors and auditors are now ever mindful that … [Read more...] about A Comparison of Safety Paradigms
Balancing Tight and Loose Coupled Systems
Balancing Tight and Loose Coupled Systems My last two articles on art and helping, generated feedback and questions that are worthy of further explanation. Amongst the feedback was that I ‘systems bash’ when I write about risk and safety. Firstly, while I can understand how people may feel that I … [Read more...] about Balancing Tight and Loose Coupled Systems
Real Harm, Real Risk and The Safety Way
Real Harm, Real Risk and The Safety Way One of the by-products of the zero delusion is the way it focuses the safety industry on petty ‘pissy’ risk. As long as Safety adores and identifies as Zero (https://visionzero.global/ ), it can never mature, understand risk or be professional. Whilst … [Read more...] about Real Harm, Real Risk and The Safety Way
Safety Engagement with Workspace, Headspace and Groupspace
So much of what we do in safety takes its focus on workspace. We call this the physical or ‘primary’ dimension of safety. This is easy to administer and regulate because what is required is visible and accountable through checklists matched to regulations. Most safety walks and observations are … [Read more...] about Safety Engagement with Workspace, Headspace and Groupspace
HSE Trip Down Memory Lane
HSE Trip Down Memory Lane by Ken R. Roberts – First published here The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 was described as "a bold and far-reaching piece of legislation" by HSE's first Director General, John Locke. It was the beginning of the 'punitive' era. In other words government started … [Read more...] about HSE Trip Down Memory Lane
Systems Serve Humans not Humans Serve Systems
Systems Serve Humans not Humans Serve Systems There is nothing wrong with having systems or checklists, nor technology to assist such (see “Who Said We Don’t Need Systems”). However, when those systems and checklists become an ‘end’ in themselves they take on a ‘force’ and ‘energy’ of their own. … [Read more...] about Systems Serve Humans not Humans Serve Systems
Systems as Imagined v Systems in Practice
WHS Lawyer Greg Smith, using a recent court decision, highlights the disparity between theory and reality and the fact that all your comprehensive paperwork may not CYA but create an illusion of safety rather than real evidence of it. This was first posted on Greg’s Blog “My Safety Thoughts” here: … [Read more...] about Systems as Imagined v Systems in Practice
Are we victims of our own safety systems?
Are we victims of our own safety systems? Guest post Health and safety is perceived by lots of people as a boring subject, but who is primarily responsible for that...who wrote the procedures? Lots of personality and behaviour profiling studies have revealed that the majority of safety … [Read more...] about Are we victims of our own safety systems?
How to Handle Safety System Paradoxes
Just found this hidden gem by Wade Needham here on LinkedIn How to Handle Safety System Paradoxes As you get promoted it's easier to take control, to control more of your world they said, well, ‘they’ were wrong. The easy answer to a complex or wicked problem is almost always wrong, if not … [Read more...] about How to Handle Safety System Paradoxes
