How are barriers/risk control systems undermined by systemic issues? This 2004 study unpacks a few mechanisms of how barriers are designed without a deep understanding of work constraints etc. ** Parts 2/3 in comments ** Not a summary – but a few cherry-picked extracts: · “Because engineered systems increasingly incorporate forms of self-protection, operators have to… Continue reading How do barriers/risk control systems fail due to systemic issues?
Procedures: concrete and inflexible actions or flexible resources to guide work? Or Both?
What are better ways to design procedure systems? And how do we balance between concrete action-required steps vs more flexible steps? Check out yesterday’s pod which unpacked a model 1 (top-down, more set in stone and less flexible) vs model 2 (more adaptable and requiring interpretation from workers) perspective on procedures. They found the best… Continue reading Procedures: concrete and inflexible actions or flexible resources to guide work? Or Both?
More Effective Permit-to-Work Systems
Kletz and colleagues in 1998 discussing follies of permit to work (PTW) systems, and some improvements. Was meant to be a mini-post, but couldn’t be bothered cutting it back. Extracts: · “A quick check of the Institution of Chemical Engineers’ Accident Database reveals that over 700 accidents of the 5000 listed were maintenance-related” · Some… Continue reading More Effective Permit-to-Work Systems
Signing JSAs not the same as understanding and using JSAs
An apt post from Robert Allan (see below image: link below) about collecting signatures. We found similar findings in our study of HSE audits (image below: link below) Signatures were conflated with the issues of interest – e.g., sigs were mistaken as literal representations of worker understanding or acceptance of issues, hazards or plans; despite… Continue reading Signing JSAs not the same as understanding and using JSAs
Safe As 30: A better way to think about procedures – resources for action
Do you see procedures as concrete actions that specify the one correct way of working, or more as resources to shape work and sensitise people to risk? Let’s unpack the model 1 / model 2 perspective of rules and see which resonates best with workers. Today’s paper is Hendricks, J. W., & Peres, S. C.… Continue reading Safe As 30: A better way to think about procedures – resources for action
Proposal for and validation of novel risk-based process to reduce the risk of construction site fatalities (Major Accident Prevention (MAP) program)
This study from Selleck and colleagues developed a novel Major Accident Prevention program for construction, leveraging the ICMM’s critical control management (CCM) framework. Way too much to cover – so a few points I found interesting. Background / methods: · Their prior review argued that “the construction industry “would benefit by adopting a shift in… Continue reading Proposal for and validation of novel risk-based process to reduce the risk of construction site fatalities (Major Accident Prevention (MAP) program)
Safe As 29: Restorative just culture checklist
This quickisode jumps into Sidney Dekker’s restorative just culture checklist – available on SafetyDifferently.Com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6kEf2L2iPv6qYKp3Ay2QvL?si=eSjDAtRLTzqnoHYvewNYQg Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e29-restorative-just-culture-checklist-quickisode/id1819811788?i=1000724404674 Make sure to subscribe to Safe As on Spotify/Apple, and if you find it useful then please help share the news, and leave a rating and review on your podcast app. I also have a Safe As… Continue reading Safe As 29: Restorative just culture checklist
Safe As 28: How language shapes blame in investigations
Does the language we use in investigations shape allocations of blame? Quite possibly. Today’s study is from Vesel, C. (2020). Agentive language in accident investigation: Why language matters in learning from events. ACS Chemical Health & Safety, 27(1), 34-39. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3PfEq7a3Bsq6zq48TDYMDe?si=AyiJO2O4Rbe-NmjbV5ot9w Apple: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/j6EE8d95bWb Make sure to subscribe to Safe As on Spotify/Apple, and if you find it… Continue reading Safe As 28: How language shapes blame in investigations
Safe As week in review: 25, 26, 27 – value of high-risk procedures, direct risk controls, and fatigue vs alcohol intoxication
Safe As week in review: 25: Image 1 – This study found more experienced workers more likely to depart from procedures, and “adherence to procedures is often motivated by potential liability issues instead of genuine concerns for safety in organizations and many deviations from procedures were due to pressure from immediate supervisors”. Spotify https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/7zaNmgeW1Vb 26:… Continue reading Safe As week in review: 25, 26, 27 – value of high-risk procedures, direct risk controls, and fatigue vs alcohol intoxication
Can chatbots provide more social connection than humans?
Can chatbots provide more social connection than humans? Possibly, providing that they don’t “claim too much humanity”. Three study protocols with 801, 201 and 401 had participants engage with AI social chatbots. They note that the long-term consequences of social chatbot use is unknown, but is important to study since “hundreds of millions of people… Continue reading Can chatbots provide more social connection than humans?
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