This study from Sherratt, Szabo and Hallowell unpacked the concept of safety culture, with a focus on US construction. I’ve skipped heaps and can’t do this justice, so check out the full paper. Ultimately, they “argue for the elimination of safety culture from the safety science lexicon”. Background Off the bat they say: “It is… Continue reading Seeking a scientific and pragmatic approach to safety culture in the North American construction industry
Doctors are more dangerous than gun owners: a rejoinder to error counting
This 2006 paper from Sid Dekker critically challenges the assumptions underlying “error counting” in safety. Some points: (Not a summary) Error background Complex systems Shout me a coffee Study link: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=14d15a68409057ad5df9fccd960b47f57c69b911 My site with more reviews: https://safety177496371.wordpress.com LinkedIn post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/benhutchinson2_this-2006-paper-from-sid-dekker-critically-activity-7247726923190001664-whqy?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
The Shift from System to Individual in Safety Approaches
I found these extracts interesting from Foundations of Safety Science – summarising some key developments and interpretations from over a century of safety-scientific approaches. They observe that despite a myriad of approaches, and developments, “almost every approach seems to end up reverting, one way or another, to the people who work in that system”. As… Continue reading The Shift from System to Individual in Safety Approaches
Making zero work for construction safety in a post-zero world
This study critically discussed theoretical and empirical arguments on the use of zero thinking in construction. They also evaluated performance differences between a sample of zero adopters vs non-adopters in the US. I’ve skipped a lot – so check out the free paper. First, they state that “Zero remains the biggest number in occupational safety”… Continue reading Making zero work for construction safety in a post-zero world
The ETTO principle as ETTOing–or Occam’s Razor redux
A 2014 conference paper from Hollnagel discussing ETTOing. Not a summary as the full paper is available. Some points: Ref: Hollnagel, E. (2012, October). The ETTO principle as ETTOing–or Occam’s Razor redux. In Human Factors: a view from an integrative perspective. Presented at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Europe Chapter Annual Meeting. Study link: https://www.hfes-europe.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Hollnagel.pdf… Continue reading The ETTO principle as ETTOing–or Occam’s Razor redux
Identifying risks and emergent risks across sociotechnical systems: The NETworked Hazard Analysis and Risk Management System (NETHARMS)
I found this pretty interesting from Dallat, Salmon and Goode, exploring a new systems-based risk assessment method called NETworked Hazard Analysis and Risk Management System (NET-HARMS). One key focus on NET-HARMS was revealing the harder to find emergent risks that emerge via interactions. WAY too much to cover in this paper – I’ve skipped large… Continue reading Identifying risks and emergent risks across sociotechnical systems: The NETworked Hazard Analysis and Risk Management System (NETHARMS)
Building a safer future: Analysis of studies on safety I and safety II in the construction industry
This research synthesis may interest people – it evaluated 35 Safety-I & Safety-II papers relating to construction safety. A key focus was highlighting areas for integration. Not a summary – but paper is open access. I found some of the arguments a bit janky or underdeveloped, but appreciate the challenge the authors had; it also… Continue reading Building a safer future: Analysis of studies on safety I and safety II in the construction industry
How safety accountability impacts the safety performance of safety managers: A moderated mediating model
This explored how safety accountability impacts safety performance of ‘safety managers’. Data was via survey of 269 Chinese safety managers (So note the demographics in interpreting the generalisability of the results, as always). For background: · There’s said to be a close connection between safety accountability and types of safety performance · They discuss different… Continue reading How safety accountability impacts the safety performance of safety managers: A moderated mediating model
FRAM-based causal analysis and barrier measures to mitigate dust explosions: A case study
I imagine this will interest just a smaller sub-set of people, but this study used FRAM to analyse the dust explosion at the Chinese Kunshan factory accident, which killed 146 people. They were able to examine the coupling and variability in key activities, and the initial and triggering parameters for the explosion. Note: There’s a… Continue reading FRAM-based causal analysis and barrier measures to mitigate dust explosions: A case study
The emperor’s new clothes: Or whatever happened to “human error”
This 2001 from Hollnagel & Amalberti discusses several arguments on how the concept of ‘human error’ (HE) exists only in the imagination of people. That is, rather than being an objectively observable phenomena, is more a “false impression” based in “the seductiveness that some concepts or ideas seem to have”. Parts 2 & 3 in… Continue reading The emperor’s new clothes: Or whatever happened to “human error”
SafetyInsights.org 