ISO certification = More Fatalities?

Safety Management System Certification, like ISO 45001 and 18001 are common worldwide. Organizations invest considerable time and resources into gaining and maintaining certification. So, are there any measurable links or improvements in safety incident performance for organizations that seek ISO certification? Let’s unpack 2 studies to find out. Shout me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/benhutchinsonSafe As LinkedIn… Continue reading ISO certification = More Fatalities?

How certification shifts work away from functional issues to rustling paperwork

Does certification, like under ISO 18001, or likely 45001, only have positive effects, or does it also introduce unintended byproducts, like a focus on managing the paperwork and not ‘real’ issues, and oversimplifying psychosocial issues? Safe AF podcast #9 explored the byproducts of certification – just 9 mins of your life. Links below. They observed… Continue reading How certification shifts work away from functional issues to rustling paperwork

Safety Management Systems may struggle with psychosocial factors and other complex phenomena

Certified safety management systems (OHSM) may struggle with complex, multi-factorial matters, like psychosocial safety. Extracts: ·        The OHSM “does not necessarily tackle the most urgent work environment issues and may exclude important aspects of the work environment such as psychosocial factors” ·        “some [OHSM] approaches may be ill-equipped to tackle complex sociotechnical issues and psychosocial matters, and… Continue reading Safety Management Systems may struggle with psychosocial factors and other complex phenomena

Certified Safety Management Systems, making things auditable, and the struggles of complex psychosocial factors

How well can safety management system approaches manage and improve psychosocial factors and complex sociotechnical factors? With considerable challenge, according to a few papers. Given that I’m getting closer to publishing my next two papers on auditing, I feel more comfortable sharing some of the central research that informed my own research (I try to… Continue reading Certified Safety Management Systems, making things auditable, and the struggles of complex psychosocial factors