• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SafetyRisk.net

Humanising Safety and Embracing Real Risk

  • Home
    • About
      • Privacy Policy
      • Contact
  • FREE
    • Slogans
      • Researchers Reveal the Top 10 Most Effective Safety Slogans Of All Time
      • When Slogans Don’t Work
      • CLASSIC, FAMOUS and INFAMOUS SAFETY QUOTES
      • 500 OF THE BEST AND WORST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
      • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
      • COVID-19 (Coronavirus, Omicron) Health and Safety Slogans and Quotes for the Workplace
      • Safety Acronyms
      • You know Where You Can Stick Your Safety Slogans
      • Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple
      • Spanish Safety Slogans – Consignas de seguridad
      • Safety Slogans List
      • Road Safety Slogans 2023
      • How to write your own safety slogans
      • Why Are Safety Slogans Important
      • Safety Slogans Don’t Save Lives
      • 40 Free Safety Slogans For the Workplace
      • Safety Slogans for Work
    • FREE SAFETY eBOOKS
    • Free Hotel and Resort Risk Management Checklist
    • FREE DOWNLOADS
    • TOP 50
    • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS
    • Find a Safety Consultant
    • Free Safety Program Documents
    • Psychology Of Safety
    • Safety Ideas That Work
    • HEALTH and SAFETY MANUALS
    • FREE SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT RESOURCES
    • Whats New In Safety
    • FUN SAFETY STUFF
    • Health and Safety Training
    • SAFETY COURSES
    • Safety Training Needs Analysis and Matrix
    • Top 20 Safety Books
    • This Toaster Is Hot
    • Free Covid-19 Toolbox Talks
    • Download Page – Please Be Patient With Larger Files…….
    • SAFETY IMAGES, Photos, Unsafe Pictures and Funny Fails
    • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators
    • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • Social Psychology Of Risk
    • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
    • Safety Psychology Terminology
    • Some Basics on Social Psychology & Risk
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk – Prof Karl E. Weick
    • The Psychology of Leadership in Risk
    • Conducting a Psychology and Culture Safety Walk
    • The Psychology of Conversion – 20 Tips to get Started
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk And Safety
    • Psychology and safety
    • The Psychology of Safety
    • Hot Toaster
    • TALKING RISK VIDEOS
    • WHAT IS SAFETY
    • THE HOT TOASTER
    • THE ZERO HARM DEBATE
    • SEMIOTICS
    • LEADERSHIP
  • Dr Long Posts
    • ALL POSTS
    • Learning Styles Matter
    • There is no Hierarchy of Controls
    • Scaffolding, Readiness and ZPD in Learning
    • What Can Safety Learn From Playschool?
    • Presentation Tips for Safety People
    • Dialogue Do’s and Don’ts
    • It’s Only a Symbol
    • Ten Cautions About Safety Checklists
    • Zero is Unethical
    • First Report on Zero Survey
    • There is No Objectivity, Deal With it!
  • THEMES
    • Psychosocial Safety
    • Resiliencing
    • Risk Myths
    • Safety Myths
    • Safety Culture Silences
    • Safety Culture
    • Psychological Health and Safety
    • Zero Harm
    • Due Diligence
  • Free Learning
    • Introduction to SPoR – Free
    • FREE RISK and SAFETY EBOOKS
    • FREE ebook – Guidance for the beginning OHS professional
    • Free EBook – Effective Safety Management Systems
    • Free EBook – Lessons I Have Learnt
  • Psychosocial Safety
    • What is Psychosocial Safety
    • Psychological Safety
      • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
      • Managing psychosocial hazards at work
      • Psychological Safety – has it become the next Maslow’s hammer?
      • What is Psychosocial Safety
      • Psychological Safety Slogans and Quotes
      • What is Psychological Safety?
      • Understanding Psychological Terminology
      • Psycho-Social and Socio-Psychological, What’s the Difference?
      • Build a Psychologically Safe Workplace by Taking Risks and Analysing Failures
      • It’s not weird – it’s a psychological safety initiative!
You are here: Home / Robert Long / The Measurement Mindset in Safety???

The Measurement Mindset in Safety???

April 13, 2023 by Dr Rob Long 6 Comments

Originally posted on February 15, 2021 @ 3:31 PM

The Measurement Mindset in Safety???

imageMost human living is NOT measurable. Most of the things that are important to fallible persons, are not only NOT measurable, they shouldn’t be. Any effort to measure qualitative values demonstrates a psychosis with measurement itself, and this demonstrates one attribute of ‘the safety mindset’. The idea of a mindset denotes a broad disposition or orientation, which is why the word ‘mind’ is used, not ‘brain’.

A mindset is a set of philosophical assumptions associated with the way someone is oriented towards the world (worldview/ideology). So, I was not surprised to see that Safety is proposing to measure ‘a safety mindset’, whatever that means?.

Of course, if you want to know what Safety is oriented towards just look at the safety curriculum, global zero discourse or AIHS Body of Knowledge and you have your answer. From the evidence one can conclude that the safety mindset is characterized by: the adoration of objects, counting, dehumanizing, blaming, punishment, control, regulation, excessive paperwork, petty pissy risk and brutalism. The language one doesn’t hear in safety is: helping, care, ethics or personhood. So, the safety mindset is the last thing I would want on a worksite. Even then, you can know such a mindset is present, but it can’t be measured.

The last thing we need in the workplace is the mindlessness of dumb down safety. The last thing needed in the workplace is some safety crusader fixated on zero and the discourse of regulation. The last thing we need is waffle language about clear and focused minds, methodical attitudes and associated measures.

Anything that is qualitative is NOT measurable, neither should it be. This is why Safety needs to get a grip of Poetics (https://safetyrisk.net/a-poetics-of-safety/).

The Poetic world is a world of: art, dance, music, poetry, song, metaphysics, emotions and aesthetics that we turn to whenever we are confronted with significant experiences of human living. Despite all the knowledge we might have about life, we still turn to a song to express love, poetry for suffering and harm and, metaphysics to explain the mysteries and awesome experiences we all share. The last thing people turn to in the face of mystery or harm is science. Oh but not Safety, for Safety its always a number (https://safetyrisk.net/its-always-a-number/).

This recent proposal to ‘scientifically’ measure mindsets is evidence itself of the safety mindset. The last person I would ever want on my team in any organization is someone with such a safety fixation.

Even when Safety thinks it is saying something ‘different’ is uses quantitative linguistics to explain itself (https://safetyrisk.net/linguistics-and-risk/ ). When your global mantra for safety is zero, then the answer to every question is a number.

  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
  • More about Rob
Dr Rob Long

Dr Rob Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions
Dr Rob Long

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

  • When Safety Delights in ‘I Told You So’! - May 24, 2023
  • Beware the Cult of Denial - May 23, 2023
  • Understanding Safety as a Cultural Reproductive Process - May 23, 2023
  • Thinking Outside the Safety Bubble - May 21, 2023
  • Understanding Language Influencing, A Video - May 21, 2023
Dr Rob Long
PhD., MEd., MOH., BEd., BTh., Dip T., Dip Min., Cert IV TAA, MRMIA Rob is the founder of Human Dymensions and has extensive experience, qualifications and expertise across a range of sectors including government, education, corporate, industry and community sectors over 30 years. Rob has worked at all levels of the education and training sector including serving on various post graduate executive, post graduate supervision, post graduate course design and implementation programs.

Please share our posts

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Robert Long, Social Psychology of Risk Tagged With: measurement, mindset

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bernard Corden says

    February 16, 2021 at 7:30 AM

    Irrespective of the flavour of the month such as HOP, BBS or Human Factors it inevitably resorts to the black box psychology of Watson and Skinner and operant conditioning.

    The brain does not make decisions it merely hosts conversations – Guy Claxton

    Reply
  2. Rob Long says

    February 16, 2021 at 6:45 AM

    Bernard, the real giveaway in this kind of stuff is the language-discourse. Lets look at it, so a few questions to consider: What is a safety conscious organisation? Does this mean an organization that is unconscious is not safe? Who are the high performing people? How is performance measured? If you look at all this HOP stuff loved by Safety, its all just more anxiety about quanta. What is ‘the right mindset”? I’d be pretty sure a fixation on safety would make someone quite dysfunctional. What is an engaged, considered, methodical attitude? All points to a rationalist understanding of why things go wrong. More behaviorism, rationalism and cognitivism. What is mental control? Has no idea how the Mind works. What are lead safety metrics? and all of this connected to this mysterious thing called a ‘safety mindset’. Then ‘specific and adressable safety behaviours’ to improve safety systems? There you have it, BBS in sheep’s clothing, it’s all about rational cognition driving safety behaviours. Of course, none of this is even slightly connected to the best research on how humans make decisions nor who incidents occur. Classic safety anxiety for safety metrics and nothing changes.

    Reply
  3. Bernard Corden says

    February 15, 2021 at 8:16 PM

    Meanwhile, the mine dust lung diseases toll on the Queensland Government – Business Queensland web page confirms there are now over 200 victims:

    https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/mining-energy-water/resources/safety-health/mining/accidents-incidents-reports/mine-dust-lung-diseases#:~:text=%20Mine%20dust%20lung%20diseases%20%201%20Coal,Scheme,%20all%20chest%20X-rays%20have%20been…%20More

    Reply
  4. Rob long says

    February 15, 2021 at 7:43 PM

    Bernard, where would you start. Every time I read stuff like this it’s always about process and systems.

    I know what. I’ll measure you one ideology and two worldviews and raise you a safety disposition! Then divide the outcome by 3 climate surveys over the square root of 10 behaviours. Then square two mindsets by 4 attitudes and 3 safety values.

    Then after you’ve emptied your bank account on seven safety mumbo jumbos, nothing will change.

    Reply
  5. Bernard Corden says

    February 15, 2021 at 5:49 PM

    Most of the buffoons do not understand the difference between measuring and counting.

    How do you measure incalculable attributes such as grief, love, care and compassion?

    Any attempt at measuring such precious attributes extirpates their intrinsic value.

    “The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection, that one is sometimes willing to commit sins for the sake of loyalty, that one does not push asceticism to the point where it makes friendly intercourse impossible, and that one is prepared in the end to be defeated and broken up by life, which is the inevitable price of fastening one’s love upon other human individuals.”

    George Orwell – In front of your nose (1945-50)

    Reply
  6. Bernard Corden says

    February 15, 2021 at 4:14 PM

    There was a safety crusader on one major coal seam gas project who was intent on measuring the project’s safety pulse.

    This was accomplished via a qualitative survey with a series of questions with a Likert scale and categorical data.

    Questions regarding the repeatability and reproducibility of the test method, confidence intervals and statistical significance produced the usual dumb blank looks.

    Who the hell employs these dunderheads?

    Reply

Do you have any thoughts? Please share them below Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Search and Discover More on this Site

Never miss a post - Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,522 other subscribers

Recent Comments

  • Rob Long on It is NOT My Responsibility to Keep You Safe
  • Chris. on It is NOT My Responsibility to Keep You Safe
  • Pierre Joubert on Zero Doesn’t Work, Road Fatalities Increase
  • James on We are all equal
  • Rob Long on We are all equal
  • James Parkinson on We are all equal
  • Brent Charlton on What Does Safety Achieve?
  • Admin on We are all equal
  • James Parkinson on We are all equal
  • Rob Long on What Does Safety Achieve?
  • Brent Charlton on We are all equal
  • Brent Charlton on We are all equal
  • Brent Charlton on We are all equal
  • Brent Charlton on What Does Safety Achieve?
  • Simon Cassin on You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time
  • Simon Cassin on You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time
  • Rob Long on You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time
  • Rob Long on You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time
  • Rob Long on You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time
  • Rob Long on You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time

RECOMMENDED READING

viral post – iso 45003 and what it cannot do

Introduction to SPOR – FREE!!

Psychosocial Safety and Mental Health Series

It is NOT My Responsibility to Keep You Safe

The KISS of Death in Safety

Is Your Safety World Too Small?

You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time

When Safety (Zero) is Abusive

Hands Up the Best Safety Fraud!

Communicating Professionally in Risk

How NOT to be Professional in Safety

How NOT to do Anything About Culture in Building and Construction

Celebrating 60 Years of Lifeline

More Posts from this Category

NEW! Free Download

Please take our 2 minute zero survey

FREE eBOOK DOWNLOADS

Footer

VIRAL POST – The Risk Matrix Myth

Top Posts & Pages. Sad that most are so dumb but this is what safety luves

  • Free Safety Moments and Toolbox Talk Examples, Tips and Resources
  • 500 OF THE BEST AND WORST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
  • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
  • Ratio Delusions and Heinrich’s Hoax
  • Road Safety Slogans 2023
  • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators
  • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS, CHECKISTS, REGISTERS, TEMPLATES and APPS
  • 15 Safety Precautions When Working With Electricity
  • Safety Acronyms
  • What Is Safety?

Recent Posts

  • When Safety Delights in ‘I Told You So’!
  • Beware the Cult of Denial
  • My Story is Better than Yours
  • Understanding Safety as a Cultural Reproductive Process
  • The Unconscious and the Soap Dispenser
  • Thinking Outside the Safety Bubble
  • Understanding Language Influencing, A Video
  • Safetie
  • You are NOT the Sum of Safety
  • Update on SPoR in India, Brazil and Europe
  • It is NOT My Responsibility to Keep You Safe
  • Safety at the Margins
  • Research Basics for Safety
  • We Need Communities and They Need Us
  • Researching Within The Safety Echo Chamber
  • Confirmation Bias, Risk and Being Offensive
  • Lemmings for Lemmings in Leadership and Risk
  • Expertise by Regurgitation and Re-Badging
  • Zero Doesn’t Work, Road Fatalities Increase
  • Can There Be Other Valid Worldviews Than Safety?
  • Evaluating Value by the Value of What You Don’t Know
  • Reality vs Theory, The Binary Divide
  • No Paradigm Shift with BBS
  • The KISS of Death in Safety
  • Is Your Safety World Too Small?
  • What Does Safety Achieve?
  • In Praise of Balance in Risk and the Threat of Extremism
  • We are all equal
  • You Can Fool Someone Some of the Time but, You Can Fool Safety All of the Time
  • What in the (Risk & Safety) World is Imagination?
  • iCue Engagement Process
  • SPoR, Metanoia and a Podcast on Change with Nippin Anand
  • For the Monarchists of Safety
  • The Sully Effect
  • All Things Must Pass in Risk
  • Scapegoating and Safety
  • Understanding Habit, Habituation and Change
  • Don’t Mention the War
  • Safety in Design for Who by Who?
  • Beyond ‘What We Do Around Here’
  • Asking the Wrong Questions
  • When Safety (Zero) is Abusive
  • Mandala as a Method for Tackling an Ethic of Risk (a Video)
  • Safety Cosmetics
  • Visualising the EHS Role
  • Towards Dumb
  • Workshops with Dr Long – Vienna, Austria 26-30 June 2023
  • Visual, Verbal and Relational Mapping in Risk Assessment
  • Abduction in Risk and Safety
  • Creating Myths and Rituals in Safety

VIRAL POST!!! HOW TO QUIT THE SAFETY INDUSTRY

FEATURED POSTS

The Binary Barnacle

Don’t Make Safety a Habit

Do Not Go Gently, SPoR and the Civility Myth

Social Sensemaking – Free eBook

How Workers Really Make Decisions

I’m just not that into safety anymore

Themes and Concepts in Risk – Requests

Zero Vision but Purchase Insurance

Rhythms, Musicophilia and Safety

Tentative at Tooleybuc

Safety and Risk Culture Cloud

Something Different To Safety

Why is Myth so Scary to Safety?

Affirming Chance

If you truly believe in zero it will happen

What are Your Secret Messages in Safety?

Turning Neuroscience into Behaviourism

We can Value Safety but Safety is not a Value

Coping With Paradox and Ambiguity in Safety

The Challenges for Organisations in Dealing with Mental Health

Free Download – Real Risk – New Book by Dr Robert Long

Gesture in Risk Matters

The Domino Myth in Safety

Personhood and Risk

Toilet Roll Safety

Foresight Blindness, Hindsight Bias and Risk

Are You on The Safety Teat?

A Masters Degree in ‘Tick and Flick’

Perfectionism in Safety and the Denial of Humanity

It’s not weird – it’s a psychological safety initiative!

Safety Utopia as Abuse

Models From Social Sensemaking

Just Tell Your Mind to Stop It

Social Sensemaking–New Book Release

An Ethical Psychology of Risk

Who is Responsible?

Hind-sight, Risk Savvy and the Unexpected

Implementing SPoR in the Workplace, A Video

Safety Justifies Anything and Everything

The Emperor has no Clothes – Beyond Behaviour-Based Safety

More Posts from this Category

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,522 other subscribers

How we pay for the high cost of running of this site – try it for free on your site

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY?

What is Psychological Safety at Work?


WHAT IS PSYCHOSOCIAL SAFETY

x
x