Zero is Founded on Deceit and Lies

Telling people that the impossible is possible is a lie, telling people that zero is achievable is a lie. Such messages are the ultimate in fraudulence (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-fraudulence/).

More so, self-deception and bad faith (https://safetyrisk.net/actions-in-bad-faith/;https://safetyrisk.net/breach-of-faith-and-psycho-social-risk/) are also at the foundation of zero ideology.

Telling people that the completion of a safety ritual will keep them safe is religious deceit. Playing with injury rates is dishonest. Selective zero harm is deceitful. Picking and choosing what kind of harm is counted is deceitful. Selecting what kind of mental health harm, one counts is deceitful.

All of this comes with anchoring to the ideology of zero. Zero is the great delusion for an industry that is yet to become professional or think critically about risk, ethics and personhood (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/zero-the-great-safety-delusion/).

A classic example is the latest venture into psychosocial health. Tacking psychosocial ill health when unqualified is unprofessional and unethical.

Everything built on zero is fundamentally unethical and immoral. How can it be otherwise when one is anchored to perfection in a random world with mortal fallible people? Then tell them to believe the impossible (https://safetyrisk.net/believe-the-impossible-and-speak-nonsense-to-people/).

The by-products of all zero methods are harmful (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-as-zero-the-perfect-event/ ).

Any denial of fallibility is deceitful, fraudulent and unethical. This is why in our zero survey 85% of respondents affirm that zero is dishonest and unethical (https://safetyrisk.net/take-the-zero-survey/).

With all of this in mind, why does safety persist in running ‘zero events’ and intentionally harming people? Whilst at the same time claiming fraudulently that it cares about psychosocial health?

All of this fraudulence, lying and deceit is founded on the assumption that safety is defined by injury rates. If you get rid of this mythology, zero quickly disappears and then one can get on with real safety and tackling risk in a way that works (https://www.humandymensions.com/product/it-works-a-new-approach-to-risk-and-safety-book-for-free-download/).

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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.