We learn yet again through the work of Rio Tinto and BHP that the language of zero is toxic for psychosocial safety (https://michaelwest.com.au/mining-giants-sued-over-alleged-sexual-harassment/). And if there’s one kind of language and discourse tier one’s love so much, it’s zero.
Zero language and ideology rewards masculinist and deontological ethics (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/zero-the-great-safety-delusion/) and this enables and empowers psychosocial harm.
This statement is critical for understanding how all linguistics work on the unconscious. No language is neutral just as all language carries a hidden bias. Language is the bedrock of culture.
Of course, the safety industry is of absolutely no help because it contributes to the problem.
Promoting psychosocial health as a ‘hazard’ is also masculinist in discourse and serves as a distraction from properly addressing the problem (https://safetyrisk.net/what-is-psychosocial-safety/). Psychosocial health is not a hazard and focusing on hazards will never ever address the deep issue associated with psychosocial health. Only Safety could be so incompetent as to consider the nature of mental health and psychosocial health as a ‘hazard’.
There will never ever be any psychosocial safety as long as the safety industry adores and worships the ideology of zero. We saw the many sponsors of zero (https://safetyrisk.net/the-sponsors-of-zero-are/) at the last safety=zero conference in Sydney 2024 that was publicised as a ‘zero event’ (https://safetyrisk.net/the-global-zero-event-this-is-safety/).
This is the global safety industry. This is what anchors safety culture and endorses an ideology founded on brutalism.
Of course, when the AIHS published their Bok Chapter on ethics, they ensured that the problems of ideology, power and zero were not discussed. This is how associations reward a masculinist deontological ethic. Indeed, there is no study of ethics in any safety curriculum globally.
Moreso, in safety, if you want to do a course in ethics, you ask an engineer with a bunch of meaningless post-nominals to run a course (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-the-expert-in-everything-and-the-art-of-learning-nothing/). This is the safety way, this is the culture of safety. The evidence is all there, please show that it’s not!
Oh yes, but don’t criticise Safety Dr Rob. Don’t point out what safety culture generates. It’s best to remain silent, which of course enables the power of zero and brutalism to have free reign. The greatest way to enable brutalism of persons in any company is to stand by and be silent when zero is spoken.
There can be no discussion of ‘positive safety culture’ unless one criticises the many things in such a culture that generates brutalism.
Zero is the ideology that expects perfection from fallible mortal people. And poor olde Safety, that imagines that injury rates demonstrate safety has absolutely no idea what to do with zero. Goodness me, we even have academics (with no expertise in ethics) from the so called Safety Science Lab (https://safetyrisk.net/zero-is-an-immoral-goal/) declaring zero as a moral goal!. I know, let’s run a mindless podcast with endless expletives on traditional safety on constant repeat and declare ‘safety differently’. No wonder people think safety is irrelevant.
Meanwhile back at Rio Tinto and BHP you can be sure that nothing will be done about zero. You can be sure that consultants will be brought in and course will be run but nothing will be done about zero. Why go to the root of a problem when a bunch of slogans will do (https://safetyrisk.net/the-seduction-of-slogans-in-safety-2/ ), that’s the safety way.
Read this stuff (https://michaelwest.com.au/mining-giants-sued-over-alleged-sexual-harassment/) and tell me that women are safe in these organisations. Then tell me what is the common discourse in safety (hazards, controls, compliance and zero).
Wherever psychosocial health is discussed as a ‘hazard’ there can never be psychosocial safety.
If you want to learn about psychosocial safety in a positive and constructive way that jettisons zero and safety improves, you can ask here: admin@spor.com.au
Dr Rob Long
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