SafetyInsights.org

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

ABSTRACT The impact of stress on mental health in high-risk occupations may be mitigated by organizational factors such as leadership. Studies have documented the impact of general leadership skills on employee performance and mental health. Other researchers have begun examining specific leadership domains that address relevant organizational outcomes, such as safety climate leadership. One emerging… Continue reading Behavioral Health Leadership: New Directions in Occupational Mental Health

How well are critical risks being managed at the human interface? I think for many this is a question that continually plays in our mind. A couple of recent findings throw some light on this. In Sean Brady‘s review of all fatal mining and quarry accidents in Qld from 2000 – 19, they found that less… Continue reading Mini-post: Critical risk management as imagined vs as done

This systematic review evaluated 34 papers, exploring normalisation of deviance (NoD) in the context of its key themes and interactions. NoD was first described by Diane Vaughan in her work evaluating the 1986 NASA Challenger space shuttle accident. As per Vaughan’s definition, NoD describes “the gradual process through which unacceptable practice or standards become acceptable.… Continue reading A Qualitative Systematic Review on the Application of the Normalisation of Deviance Phenomenon Within High-Risk Industries

This open access paper from Kevin Geddart, Drew Rae and Sid Dekker is a very interesting read. It applied a new method for studying under-reporting of injuries in company data and for also revealing systematic biases. I feel like I haven’t done a good job explaining this, so I recommend just reading the paper. Company… Continue reading How Does Selective Reporting Distort Understanding of Workplace Injuries?

This is a very brief summary of research on educational design principles to develop training and non-technical skills, with the aim of increasing capacity for organisational resilience. Even if you’re critical of the contemporary resilience perspective, the concept of scenario-based training and simulations isn’t new and thus, this paper may still be of interest. Proposed… Continue reading Improving resilience in high-risk organizations: principles for the design of innovative training situations

How rational is an incident investigation process? It’s easy to believe it’s rational: you have an incident, investigate the contributing factors and then implement corrective actions to address those factors. There’s a concept called “what you look for is what you find”, highlighting that if you go looking for something (e.g. error or violations, cultural… Continue reading Mini-post: The rationality or not of incident investigations (what you find is not always what you fix)