It is strange how the word ‘myth’ is used negatively in the risk and safety world as if to declare something as a myth, is an in-truth. How we determine what is true, real and effective is not that easy. All myth is anchored to faith, not evidence. Most often we develop myths according to our … [Read more...] about When Myths Collide in Risk
transdisciplinarity
Safety and the Myth of Scientific Method
As part of a disposition towards Transdisciplinarity (https://safetyrisk.net/transdisciplinarity-and-worldviews-in-risk/) is the need for those in the Western tradition of Scientism to be prepared to give validity to other ways of knowing other than Behaviourism-Engineering. This is a great … [Read more...] about Safety and the Myth of Scientific Method
The Critical Outcome is to Improve Safety
One of the sad characteristics of the safety-zero industry is the fear of critical thought from a Transdisciplinary source. We know this is so because compliance, control, counting and telling are key features of the culture of safety. What happens when criticism of safety and an alternative is … [Read more...] about The Critical Outcome is to Improve Safety
Safety Lover or Safety Hater
Safety Lover or Safety Hater What a crazy title for a blog but it was sponsored by a comment made to another blog recently. Apparently criticism of Safety (the archetype – capital S) means you become a safety (lower case ‘s’) hater. How interesting that criticism seeking to improve safety is … [Read more...] about Safety Lover or Safety Hater
Culture is NOT a Product nor a Construct
When culture is viewed through the lens of behaviourism and safety, it is asserted that culture is a ‘construct’ and ‘product’ (p.50). This is the assertion of Cooper in his chapter in Safety Cultures, Safety Models. When the lens is behaviourist safety, one can assert that risk is best tackled … [Read more...] about Culture is NOT a Product nor a Construct
Paperwork and Usability in Tackling Risk
Most workers don’t ‘use’ paperwork, they just sign it just as many workers don’t read paperwork they just give it the ‘tick and flick’. The idea of excessive paperwork in safety is much more a middle management problem than a worker problem. The real decisions on the job where the greatest risk is … [Read more...] about Paperwork and Usability in Tackling Risk
Hazard as a Concept
When thinking about hazards one needs a transdisciplinary view. Unfortunately you won’t get such a view from the AIHS BoK on Hazards. It is of course no surprise that the AIHS BoK claims to have explored such a view eg. ‘The multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature of OHS created inherent … [Read more...] about Hazard as a Concept
Radical Uncertainty
Radical Uncertainty I’m not an economist but we have much we can learn from other disciplines. Kay and King’s book Radical Uncertainty (2020) should be a compulsory read for safety people. Moreso, for anyone spruiking the nonsense of zero. Kay and King have produced an easy to read book on the … [Read more...] about Radical Uncertainty
What’s Your Agenda in Safety?
One of the challenges of working in the safety industry is, so much that is critical is left to guesswork and most that is petty and unimportant is delivered in overload. We see this recently with the AIHS BoK Chapter on Research. So little on the realities of research associated with persons, … [Read more...] about What’s Your Agenda in Safety?
Unconscious Codes, Ecological Thinking in Risk
Biosemiotics is the idea that life is based on semiosis, i.e., on signs, symbols and codes. Biosemiotics is the study of signs in living systems. In ecological life there is a ’thinking’ dynamic or ‘force’ that drives everything from the construction of a snowflake to the formation of a hurricane. … [Read more...] about Unconscious Codes, Ecological Thinking in Risk
