SafetyInsights.org

How objective are quantitative risk assessments and how subjective are qualitative assessments? This image is another example from a presentation of mine, highlighting a nice quote from Gerd Gigerenzer. He aptly observes the lack of critical evaluation of quantitative risk models, statistics, predictive algorithms etc. Our unwavering support of models is partially reflected by what… Continue reading Mini-post: Fine-tuning the odds until something breaks

This explored the connection between contractor success and project innovation in 31 Australian construction projects from the same company. An innovation framework was developed (client-contractor project innovation, called c2pi), which drew on assessing KPIs and calculations; a completed assessment is shown below. The assessment framework combines efficacy, efficiency and margin. In this framework, innovation is… Continue reading The empirical relationship between contractor success and project innovation

This study compared 22 conventional root cause analysis (RCA) style investigations against 22 Learning Teams (LT). I couldn’t see any additional info on what methodology they used in the RCAs. The investigation reports were compared and interviews conducted with staff familiar with both approaches. LT are defined as a “facilitated conversation between those that do… Continue reading Evaluation of Learning Teams Versus Root Cause Analysis for Incident Investigation in a Large United Kingdom National Health Service Hospital

ABSTRACT The concept of safety culture has become established in safety management applications in all major safety-critical domains. The idea that safety culture somehow represents a “systemic view” on safety is seldom explicitly spoken out, but nevertheless seem to linger behind many safety culture discourses. However, in this paper we argue that the “new” contribution… Continue reading Does the concept of safety culture help or hinder systems thinking in safety?

Risk matrices have many limitations but are they better than nothing? Ron Gantt recently penned an article exploring how injury metrics may not be adequate safety performance measures (link below). This got me thinking about similar arguments I’ve heard justifying other tools or methods, like risk matrices. A recent study highlighted a range of important… Continue reading Mini-post: Are risk matrices “better than nothing?”

This systematic review & meta-analysis evaluated the evidence surrounding the risk of occupational injuries relative to work scheduling. [Note: This study is an update on previous studies the authors published many years ago. Although there’s more recent studies not included in this data-set, I like how Simon Folkard presents the data in his line of… Continue reading Updating the “Risk Index”: A systematic review and meta-analysis of occupational injuries and work schedule characteristics

This study evaluated 41 maritime accident reports relating to machinery space fires and explosions. The goal was to determine if organisational factors are identified during the accident investigations. A modified HFACS was used to evaluate the accident reports (Human Factor Analysis and Classification System, shown below). [Note: Like with any accident evaluation method – what-you-look-for-is-what-you-find.… Continue reading Accident investigation reporting deficiencies related to organizational factors in machinery space fires and explosions

ABSTRACT Background Work and sleep patterns for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers often include long working hours, shift work and diminished sleep duration and quality, which have been linked to overweight, obesity and other problems. Aims To explore possible connections between work, sleep and obesity among CMV drivers. Methods Survey and anthropometric data were collected… Continue reading Work patterns, sleeping hours and excess weight in commercial drivers

This compared how Canadian newspapers reported on workplace injuries and fatalities versus data from the workers’ compensation data. They sought to answer three questions: What types of injuries & fatalities are reported in the newspapers and how do these reports compare with the workers’ compensation data? What demographic and occupational info is presented in the… Continue reading If it bleeds, it leads: the construction of workplace injury in Canadian newspapers, 2009–2014

This draws on case studies in construction (high hazard buried gas pipelines) and elite sport to examine how risks are shifted to individuals at the bottom of contracting supply chains. In providing background on the topic, it’s said “Despite decades of research demonstrating that accidents are a function of organizations … individuals still bear the… Continue reading Shifting risk to the frontline: case studies in different contract working environments