Stepping outside the comfort zone of engineering, beahviourism and positivism is essential for anyone who wants to learn in safety. Regurgitating and recycling the same assumptions about safety, will never lead to learning in safety. Similarly, approaching risk from a methodology that prioritizes … [Read more...] about A Model for Transdisciplinarity in Risk
transdisciplinary approach
The Myth of Choice in Risk
One of the most powerful myths in the Safety industry is the myth of moral choice. This myth will always be sustained as long as Safety continues to resist tackling the need to articulate an ethic of risk. Regardless of all the nonsense language about ‘no blame’, if the power of this myth remains, … [Read more...] about The Myth of Choice in Risk
Bridging the Disciplines for Better Outcomes
One of the challenges of a closed knowledge culture is that such will not help us meet the needs of the future. Whether one understands intractable complexity as a ‘wicked problem’ or just complexity there is no doubt that the days of silos and closed disciplines are over. What we observe in the … [Read more...] about Bridging the Disciplines for Better Outcomes
What is Critical Thinking in Safety?
What is Critical Thinking in Safety? Everyone thinks but not all think critically…. There are countless books out there on supposed ‘critical thinking skills’ but many are not about critical thinking. Many of these books don’t even define critical thinking well. Let’s take for example Cottrell, … [Read more...] about What is Critical Thinking in Safety?
Can There Be Other Valid Worldviews Than Safety?
Can There Be Other Valid Worldviews Than Safety? This is the challenge worldviews is the challenge of the unknown unknowns. How can I know another worldview, when all I know is my own? Can there be a different view of the world other than the lens I use to see it? Could it be that another worldview … [Read more...] about Can There Be Other Valid Worldviews Than Safety?
The Spirit of Zero
The Spirit of Zero It is always a fascination to watch engineering and safety science immerse itself deeply into the life of sacred practice and salvation theology. Of course neither discipline has knowledge of religious studies or theology and doesn’t know just how religious it has become. Only a … [Read more...] about The Spirit of Zero
Risk and Safety as a Wicked Problem
Introduction It is nearly ten years since the outstanding research by Wagner and Associates ‘Safety - A Wicked Problem’ was published (http://www.peterwagner.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Safety-A-Wicked-Problem2.pdf). The project examined responses by prominent CEOs to common problems associated in … [Read more...] about Risk and Safety as a Wicked Problem
SPoR, Ideology and Safety Myth
Continuing our series on Safety Myths – see them all here Ideology is one of those tricky words that can be defined 100 ways. So, it’s always good to define meaning before assuming others know the application of language. In language context, philosophy and culture are critical determinant of … [Read more...] about SPoR, Ideology and Safety Myth
Culture Silence in Safety – Cultural Capital
Culture Silence in Safety – Cultural Capital In one of our online learning groups we have been recently discussing the work of Pierre Bourdieu. Bourdieu is just one of many experts in culture that receive no mention in safety literature about culture. When you are happy with culture as ‘what we do … [Read more...] about Culture Silence in Safety – Cultural Capital
How to Tackle Risk You Can’t See
How to Tackle Risk You Can’t See So often in strategic planning and goal setting people can’t see the trade-offs and by-products they are putting in place. You can’t see what you don’t know. We saw this with the recent research into traffic safety messages … [Read more...] about How to Tackle Risk You Can’t See