This systematic review evaluated the evidence surrounding behavioural interventions in improving safety injuries and incidents. All the usual precautions about the stability of incident data remain. 19 studies met inclusion criteria. While I’m not a proponent of behavioural approaches, I post this in response to comments on LinkedIn about how “behavioural/BBS programs don’t work”. I… Continue reading Effective Components of Behavioural Interventions Aiming to Reduce Injury within the Workplace: A Systematic Review

What is the relationship between network resilience (* capacity for) and actual project performance? A 2016 study to be posted in the coming weeks explored this relationship across three mega-projects. Overall: ·        Networks with better interaction and structure have higher resilience indices to risks ·        Higher (network) resilience indices correlated with better actual safety performance ·        Network structure,… Continue reading Network resilience, communication and better actual safety performance

Should we count crows or errors? The late, great Bob Wears discusses some challenges with a myopic focus on “error”. Post in the next couple of weeks. He focuses on the matter in healthcare, saying that despite the push for innovation, the industry “remains trapped by old ideas [of human performance]. He says that this… Continue reading Error counting and old ways to think about human performance

This systematic review examined the effectiveness of workplace safety training interventions aimed at supervisors from 22 studies between 2000-19. Training interventions were grouped into 5 domains (expanded below). Importantly, all 22 included studies were graded as methodologically weak. Results: Overall, consistent evidence was found for the effectiveness of supervisory training interventions across several outcome measures.… Continue reading Effectiveness of safety training interventions for supervisors: A systematic review and narrative synthesis

One of several fascinating papers exploring the language of more radical-leaning/conspiracy communities. I suspect this topic won’t appeal to most. My prompt for reading this was an observation of similarities in language from people I’d, judgementally, considered to be more extreme-leaning. Using words like sheep/sheeple, allegedly, puppets, or putting words like scientists or research in… Continue reading The language of conspiracy believers

This paper undertook in-depth interviews with surviving family members to understand their experiences following work-related deaths in Australia. Note, the findings date back pre-2010. Providing background: ·       Little research has been undertaken on the consequences of surviving families, following work deaths ·       In 2008-9, 286 workers died from traumatic incidents at work, and as with… Continue reading The Adequacy of Institutional Responses to Death at Work: Experiences of Surviving Families

Some apt conclusions from a coronial inquiry regarding a workplace fatality in 2006. In this example, the coroner was critical of an excess focus on using SWMS/work instructions to monitor safety rather than a focus on actual work. Moreover, the coroner argues that, “the monitoring of safety in a workplace cannot properly function with such… Continue reading Coroner report: Excess focus on work instructions/SWMS and the artificial division between safety professionals and risky work

This paper discussed different types of drift and applied them to the case of railway  accidents. It was a fascinating paper, but a real challenge to summarise. I suggest you read the full paper if you’re interested in the topic as I can’t do this justice. Note. This summary is very fragmented. This is because… Continue reading The diversity of systemic safety drift: the role of infrastructure in the railway sector

Do behavioural interventions work? This 2023 systematic review evaluated the evidence. Summary to be posted in the coming weeks. While I’m not a proponent of behavioural approaches, I post this in response to comments on LinkedIn about how “behavioural/BBS programs don’t work”. I think to make this statement we should first look to the evidence.… Continue reading Systematic review of behavioural safety interventions

Are the institutional responses following workplace deaths adequate for the surviving families? A study to be posted explored this question via interviews with surviving family members, following traumatic workplace deaths. Probably the most difficult topic I’ve written about, as it’s such an irreducibly personal and devastating outcome for the families. This paper found that: (Noting… Continue reading Workplace deaths and the lasting pain and tragedy for surviving families