Building resilience trumps the prevention of harm. Download a copy of the paper (includes the Bibliography for the references): Building resilience trumps the prevention of harm The prevention of harm is about trying to see, predict and control all things that may deliver an undesired outcome. … [Read more...] about Building resilience trumps the prevention of harm
satisficing
Bounded Rationality–How Can Too Much Safety Be Bad For You?
Bounded Rationality – How Can Too Much Safety Be Bad For You? Someone just sent me a safety slogan: “Safety – It’s Never Enough”, normally I would just brush it off as another meaningless, demoralising aphorism but it got me thinking……Join me in reflecting back over the last few serious incidents … [Read more...] about Bounded Rationality–How Can Too Much Safety Be Bad For You?
Holistic Well Being in Risk Differently
Holistic Well Being in Risk Differently The separation of Body/Mind is a perennial problem of Philosophy. Known as ‘the Body Mind Problem’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind%E2%80%93body_problem; https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/discovery-mind-body-problem/ ). The ‘problem’ centres on a debate … [Read more...] about Holistic Well Being in Risk Differently
Models From Social Sensemaking
Models From Social Sensemaking First published here In this piece I introduce you to two of the semiotic models developed in my first book Social Sensemaking. Firstly, The Decision Tree and then The Trade-offs Model. The Decision Tree Why is it challenging to accept that many of our ideas and … [Read more...] about Models From Social Sensemaking
The Loathing of Limits
The Loathing of Limits I was listening to an ABC podcast called Minefield last week about ‘Needs of the Soul, Hardship’ and heard one of the presenters Scott Stephens say that humans have always had a sense of ‘loathing limits’. Scott Stephens is the Online Editor of Religion and Ethics for the ABC … [Read more...] about The Loathing of Limits
The Safety Worldview and the Worldview of Safety, Testing Due Diligence
Following the World Congress on Safety and Health I begin to wonder just how more absurd the safety industry can become. It is clear from the Congress that safety is now the filter through which one views life rather than, life being the filter through which one views safety. When one gets such a … [Read more...] about The Safety Worldview and the Worldview of Safety, Testing Due Diligence
Understanding Psychological Terminology
Understanding Psychological Terminology and Applying it to Safety and Risk. More Detail Here: Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk And SafetyAll professions (intentionally and unintentionally) create language, acronyms and discourse that create territory and challenges for understanding. This … [Read more...] about Understanding Psychological Terminology
There is No Objectivity, Deal With it!
One of the fascinating delusions of the safety industry is the myth of objectivity. There is none so, get used to it and work with it. This is why it’s important to educate people in critical thinking. Sorry to tell you, but every risk assessment design, form and checklist carries the bias of the … [Read more...] about There is No Objectivity, Deal With it!
Risk Homeostasis Theory–Why Safety Initiatives Go Wrong
My favourite quote is in relation to racing drivers on normal roads and why they have more crashes and get more fines: “At their level of skill, driving like an average driver may be intolerably boring. Imagine being a master of Beethoven and all you are allowed to play is “Twinkle, twinkle, little … [Read more...] about Risk Homeostasis Theory–Why Safety Initiatives Go Wrong
You Don’t Fess Up Without Trust
You Don’t Fess Up Without Trust We saw a classic example of how Safety doesn’t work this week in the Australian election campaign (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10753031/Australia-Election-2022-Extraordinary-moment-worker-covers-sign-Scott-Morrison.html ). The Prime Minister of … [Read more...] about You Don’t Fess Up Without Trust
