In 1994, two US Air force F-15 fighters shot down two friendly US Army Black Hawk helicopters. This event shouldn’t have been possible: there were experts, radio communications, radar, AWACS and more. However, this isn’t a tragedy due to human error or a lack of safeguards, it happened in spite of the safeguards. This episode… Continue reading When Success Leads to Disaster: Practical Drift & the 1994 Black Hawk Friendly Fire Shootdown
When More Becomes Less: Re-Examining Permit-to-Work, Procedures, and Communication as Risk-Management Control
This study evaluated employee perceptions of Human & Organizational Factors (HOF), procedures, PTW and more. 339 respondents from a South African chemical processing facility. I liked this quote: “Management creates more procedures” while providing “less supervision and support” PS. This article was…overwhelming. PPS. Check out my YouTube: https://youtube.com/@safe_as_pod?si=iUaDPJynPemQRZhY Extracts: · “More procedures and more detailed procedures… Continue reading When More Becomes Less: Re-Examining Permit-to-Work, Procedures, and Communication as Risk-Management Control
Are you a safety bully? YT vid
Are you a safety bully? In this article covered in my vid, Scott Geller argues that some, often well-intentioned, manager practices may constitute bullying. This includes: · misuse of discipline · holding people accountable for injury measures and incidents that they may have little control over · blame in investigations · setting zero incidents as a goal · misuse of… Continue reading Are you a safety bully? YT vid
An Evaluation of Leading Indicators in the Construction Industry and Their Relationship with Incident Rates
This Masters thesis from Kitti Miller Whalen evaluated the connection between safety initiatives, indictors and incident measures based on >260 construction companies. Yes, another injury measure / correlational analysis – but meh, fight me. PS. I’ve probably made more mistakes than usual in my haste describing the measures and methods, so caveat emptor as always.… Continue reading An Evaluation of Leading Indicators in the Construction Industry and Their Relationship with Incident Rates
Why Science Measures Things in Rhinos and Batman
Do you know how many rhinos it takes to stop a tram? Or how many elephants suspended from a rope to break glass? Today we unpack some wacky units of measurement that have crept into use. Shout a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/benhutchinson
Is the connection between construction safety warnings and cognition truly effective? A comparative study based on visual search and non-rehearsal memory experiments
How do different warning signs influence worker cognition? This compared three types of construction safety warnings: symbol silhouettes, illustration comics and VR simulation (image 2). PS. Check out my YouTube: https://youtube.com/@safe_as_pod?si=iUaDPJynPemQRZhY Background: · There are currently “no specific professional standards for construction safety signs in the global construction industry”, and they rely on general safety… Continue reading Is the connection between construction safety warnings and cognition truly effective? A comparative study based on visual search and non-rehearsal memory experiments
Part 2 interview with Dom Cooper: SIFS, BBS, HOP, and can we trust injury outcome measures
Part 2 interview with Dom Cooper on YouTube. Over these 2 eps, we discuss BBS, SIFS, weaknesses of HOP, and a lively debate on whether we can trust injury outcome measures, and more. Please subscribe, like, comment (directly on the YT video), and help share with your network. 🙏 Shout me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/benhutchinsonSafe As… Continue reading Part 2 interview with Dom Cooper: SIFS, BBS, HOP, and can we trust injury outcome measures
EHS Congress 2026 – let’s gooooo (sign up to my session if you’re attending)
Safety (and risk) nerds, ASSEMBLE! Have you signed up to my session at EHS Congress 2026 #EHSC, Wed 8:20am? I’ll be discussing my PhD research on the safety masquerade: how the systems we come to develop and trust, deceive us. Here are some benefits to attending – you’ll learn about: · False system assurance and the… Continue reading EHS Congress 2026 – let’s gooooo (sign up to my session if you’re attending)
Potentially fatal incidents: identification, classification and human factor analysis
Are incident investigations underestimating the SIF potential? This study suggests Yes. It reanalysed 62 investigation reports against a bespoke tool that incorporates energy thinking, barrier analysis and Human Factors/HFACS analysis. PS. Check out my YouTube: https://youtube.com/@safe_as_pod?si=iUaDPJynPemQRZhY Background: · They use the term ‘Potentially fatal incidents (PFIs)’ to designate those that can kill · “severity of… Continue reading Potentially fatal incidents: identification, classification and human factor analysis
How Near Misses Increase Risky Decisions
We’re frequently told how important it is to report, investigate and learn from all near misses / near hits. But can this well-intentioned logic INCREASE our propensity for risk taking behaviours? Research suggests Yes. Near misses can backfire: soothing our anxiety since we narrowly avoided a failure (resilient near miss), instead of sensitising us to… Continue reading How Near Misses Increase Risky Decisions
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