Not another CrowdStrike post – but this reminded me of some comments from Nancy Leveson about the interactively complex and sometimes “impossible” task of thoroughly understanding software failure modes. Some cherrypicked examples from several of Nancy’s sources: ·        “Complexity has many facets, most of which are increasing in the systems we are building, particularly interactive complexity”… Continue reading “Are You Sure Your Software Will Not Kill Anyone?” (Nancy Leveson on complex software)

A fascinating ethnographic study about how high-security prison guards make sense of hazardous work conditions. Note: This is a dense 28 page paper, and I’ve skipped a lot; I’m using a lot of direct quotes. I highly recommend checking out the full paper (I’m also biased because they referenced one of my studies on enabling… Continue reading Sensing that Something is Wrong: On the Role of Senses in Sensemaking in Frontline Safety Work

A really interesting study exploring if and how CEOs influence worker injuries. Data via >2.7k frontline workers, 1.4k supervisors and 229 top management team (TMT) in 54 organisations. Providing background: Key findings were: Interestingly, they found that “CEOs can create a facet-specific TMT safety climate, which is different from, and more importantly, an antecedent to… Continue reading Safety in the C-Suite: How Chief Executive Officers Influence Organizational Safety Climate and Employee Injuries

This case study explored the role of safety reward programs on a large construction project. Some key findings: ·        “Safety rewards are worth incorporating in wider safety management systems as they have the potential to influence safe behaviours of over half the frontline workforce” ·        “Reward systems are only beneficial when decisions and protocols around the systems… Continue reading How safety rewards can help and hinder: a case study

This conceptual modelling study had an interesting premise – they explored the risks resulting from overlapping construction works. I think most of us can recall many recent incidents involving SIMOPS, where different work groups contribute to hazardous conditions for others (often due to designs and sequencing not accounting for these interactions). This study drew on… Continue reading Managing Safety Risks from Overlapping Construction Activities: A BIM Approach

This study explored the links between OHSAS 18001 certification and operating performance, using Normal Accident Theory (NAT), High Reliability Theory (HRT), and Institutional Theory to frame the findings. They also investigated how complexity and coupling moderate the relationship between 18001 and operational performance. 211 US listed firms with certification were included. Provided background: ·       “Most… Continue reading OHSAS 18001 certification and operating performance: The role of complexity and coupling

This new study from Hayes, Maslen and Schulman explored how lying about safety performance starts, how some lies become part of work group norms, and how lies are justified. Context was the investigation of PG&E following the San Bruno pipeline explosion. Not a summary – but the paper is open access. Some points: ·      Different lies… Continue reading A case of collective lying: How deceit becomes entrenched in organizational safety behavior

This paper from Charles Perrow explored organisational design, and interactive complexity and coupling. Too much to cover (hence why the paras will appear disjointed, since I skipped a lot). Perrow draws on his previous work by arguing that “some systems are sufficiently complex to allow the unexpected interactions of failures in such a way that… Continue reading Organizing to Reduce the Vulnerabilities of Complexity

Is certification to 18001 linked with improvements in operational performance? This 2014 study suggests yes. Moreover, the effects are most pronounced for companies with high interactive complexity and tighter coupling (as per Perrow’s Normal Accident Theory). Mark Pagell and colleagues analysed data from 211 US listed firms. Summary posted next week. Findings: ·         “OHSAS 18001 leads… Continue reading Certification to 18001 found to improve operational performance (safety, sales etc.) – especially for more complex and tightly coupled production processes

A recent post from Mark Fleming nicely highlighted how safely often goes unnoticed; that is, the things that create successful outcomes blend and integrate into normal work. This reminded me of this wonderful quote from Karl Weick, discussed by James Reason in the attached, that reliability, but also safety, are “dynamic non-events”. Weick argued that:… Continue reading Reliability and safety are “dynamic non-events” and “dynamic inputs create stable outcome”