Continuing our series on Safety Myths – see them all here
If there was ever a dumb invention to desensitize Safety to safety it was the ‘safety moment’. Whoever thought this was a good idea knew very little about human neuropsychology.
This strange mythology supposes that starting every meeting with a ‘safety minute’ or whatever it is called demonstrates ‘safety first’ mentality. It doesn’t.
What safety moments demonstrate is absolutely no cognizance of how humans or safety works. Such is the inability of safety to understand the basics of trade-offs and by-products (https://safetyrisk.net/target-trade-offs-and-numeric-goals/).
What quickly develops from the so called ‘safety moment’ it its opposite. People quickly become desensitized to real safety and real risk (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/real-risk/) and this starts the embarrassing concoction of every petty safety nonsense reported to fill the safety air.
An obsession with safety is not a demonstration of safety (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-as-a-mental-health-disorder-obsession/). Obsession is demonstration of a mental health disorder.
Of course, once Safety sacralises a myth, it then cannot be jettisoned. Any rejection of a safety myth is interpreted as being anti-safety. So, looks like poor olde safety is lumbered with this nonsense myth of the ‘safety moment’ for the next millennia.
This is what happens when a myth/symbol is created. It is quickly given sacred status and then cannot be eradicated. This is what happens when one is convinced by the delusion of ‘safety saves’ (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-people-dont-save-lives/). The myth then becomes the new symbolic truth and yet again we have a new thing thrown into the paperwork mix along with the other collections of mythical nonsense like swiss-cheese, white cards and risk matrices.
The safety moment has many religious parallels that are ‘meditative’ in nature, like most invocations and mythical ‘spells’. Like saying ‘grace’ before a meal or praying before undertaking a risk, this is how the ‘safety moment’ works. This is how myth/symbol work as puritanical rituals. We have known about this for centuries, but not Safety.
So, here is your chance. Download all your safety moment templates and help desensitize people to safety:
- https://safetyculture.com/topics/toolbox-topics/safety-moments/;
- https://www.safetytalkideas.com/safety-talks/;
- https://www.oceaneering.com/sustainability/health-safety-and-quality-hse/safety-moments/
The safety moment is the ‘kiss of death’ to safety.
Dr Rob Long
Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)
- Understanding the Nature of Performance and HOP - October 5, 2024
- If You Want to Know About Mental Health, Don’t Ask Safety - September 30, 2024
- Its all About Behaviours - September 20, 2024
- I Wasn’t Thinking Mr Spock - September 20, 2024
- The Seduction of Drift in Safety - September 20, 2024
Antony Bacalja says
Perhaps the subject matter when delivering a Safety moment is irrelevant or out of context?
If you work with cranes and I provide you with a Safety moment describing a crane incident where people have been seriously injured or killed due to complacency of not completing a thorough prestart on your equipment, I’m quite sure that at the very least you will think about that before you commence your work. You may even consider the impact on those persons persons families when dad doesn’t come home again, forever.
You may think about what you should say to your partner before leaving for work the next day. There will always be those who know better, or consider themselves to be beyond making mistakes, but that shouldn’t stop you from influencing the majority in a meaningful positive way. No one is infallible, so we have Safety systems and policies to control as best as we can those few individuals who are the greatest risk takers, as well those with little experience.
I’ve had numerous people that I’ve attended who have been seriously injured and killed in the workplace so I believe any reminders of consequences to those who have not had to deal with these situations.
Rob Long says
Antony, no amount of passion or emotion about safety improves safety messaging. Indeed, most of the horror stories trotted out by safety most often drive the opposite.
Unless Safety develops a mature sense of messaging then the outcome most often doesn’t work. Nothing is a bigger turn off for safety than a safety crusader.
BRENT R CHARLTON says
Most people’s reaction to those stories is “wow that was stupid – good thing I’m smarter so that will never happen to me!” Yes, all humans are fallible, but mistakes and errors don’t come about by choice – nobody chooses to do something that will get them hurt or killed.
BRENT R CHARLTON says
I’ve seen this so often become “let’s get this shit out of the way so we can move on to important business.”
Antony Bacalja says
My message is that there is nothing more important than safety, to whoever you people are. As a former Paramedic [24yrs and over 20,000 cases], and more recently HSEQ Advisor in numerous industry settings, i can confirm that the consequences of complacency and lack of Safety awareness from the outset of every work day contributes to serious injury and death which could otherwise be avoided.
Not everyone may appreciate the few minutes of time or subject matter in delivering a daily Safety moment, but that doesn’t mean it has no impact. It certainly hurts a lot less than an incident which could be life changing or life ending!
Rob Long says
Antony, there is no debate about caring for safety but if the messaging is a lecture, repetitive, patronising, superior or ritualistic, the opposite of what is intended will occur.
How strange that so much enthusiasm for safety can turn people off safety!
One thing is for sure, if the message is about the myth of complacency, workers will soon get sick of the message and not listen.
BRENT R CHARLTON says
All of us care about safety, and to suggest otherwise just shows you only think in a binary manner – i.e. people care about safety or they don’t. Start by forgetting the ideas that people are out to hurt themselves and/or are too stupid to manage risk on their own, and go from there. If you think starting a meeting with a “safety moment” makes a difference then by all means continue. But please expand your thinking into how people function and how they manage risk.
Rob Long says
Brent, anything repetitive for humans that is ritualised soon creates desensitising to the activity. The last thing safety needs is blind rituals that devalue safety and inhibit genuine risk assessment.
I’ve been in plenty of meetings where the obligatory safety moment of safety share is urged and the blokes on the tools just go: oh f#*k!
Aaron Skrbin says
So, I’ve read your commentary and your replies. Your position is pretty clear. Do you have any suggested solutions?
Rob Long says
So many, read my free books, watch my free videos, email, watch my free courses on SPoR. Always happy to respond to anyone who wants to learn.
Brian Darlington says
Hi Rob , as always a great blog and enjoying this series on myth’s.
Rob long says
Thanks Brian. Nothing kills safety better than a safety moment.