The Mossie Coil and Safety

The concept of by-products and trade-offs ought to be mandatory in any safety training. The naïve idea that policy decisions and safety decisions are neutral is nonsense. As humans live as social beings there can be no decision in risk that is made without implications, consequences or impact on others. The less we think in the framework of by-products and trade-offs the more we foster the blindness that plagues safety about paperwork. It’s quite simple, ‘Tick and flick’ is the by-product of excessive bureaucracy. ‘Tick and flick’ is of course very dangerous. ‘Tick and flick’ creates the delusion that a risk has been considered, discussed and is being tackled sensibly when it has not.

One of the joys of a summer Christmas ‘down under’ is a stinking hot Christmas, for me often beside the Murray River in South Australia. Of course, Christmas near the river ushers in the buzz of mossies (mosquitos for our non-Australian friends). There is nothing better than a barbie (barbeque) on Christmas evening eating the left overs from lunch having a chat and laughs over a drink with friends and family. One of our traditions to battle the inevitable mossie challenge is the citronella candle, spray on repellent and the famous mossie coil. There’s nothing worse than trying to go to sleep tan that buzz in your ear and the sting on your leg when its still 28 degrees Celsius at 9pm.

We know that mossies are more than just annoying, that they also carry disease and can cause significant harm. We have had record breaking outbreaks of Ross River virus in Murray River towns and across Australia before (http://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1005070 ). So, burning that mossie coil has become a habit and a psychological comfort for many Australians. Of course there is a trade-off, burning the mossie coil smoke is also a health hazard. Some estimate that the risks of the coil smoke is equivalent to smoking 90 cigarettes. I know, don’t go outside, don’t enjoy the summer Christmas, stay under the air-conditioner and watch TV!!! But this is no safer, obesity is now at epidemic proportions in Australia. It’s the long-term killer no one sees because its consequences are not immediate. So what do you do Safety?

I know, what a great idea. Let’s have a zero Christmas. No fun, no play, no adventure, no friends, no sun, no backyard cricket and watch out for that fat guy in red and white, the symbol of obesity to all our kids. Is it any wonder people think that safety is nonsense?

I saw a notice yesterday from a regulator saying how dangerous driveways were, that kids have been run over in driveways. Yes, that’s true but also driveways are the best place for cricket. If we demonize every place as unsafe, there will be no place to go. This is what zero ideology does. Because it’s an absolute and an extreme, it’s language as symbol drives to extremes. Surely is safety considered by-products and trade-offs as the fundamental of safety we might get some balance and perspective about risk. Have a Happy Christmas.

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Dr Rob Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

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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.

The Mossie Coil and Safety