SafetyInsights.org

This paper from Charles Perrow explored organisational design, and interactive complexity and coupling. Too much to cover (hence why the paras will appear disjointed, since I skipped a lot). Perrow draws on his previous work by arguing that “some systems are sufficiently complex to allow the unexpected interactions of failures in such a way that… Continue reading Organizing to Reduce the Vulnerabilities of Complexity

Is certification to 18001 linked with improvements in operational performance? This 2014 study suggests yes. Moreover, the effects are most pronounced for companies with high interactive complexity and tighter coupling (as per Perrow’s Normal Accident Theory). Mark Pagell and colleagues analysed data from 211 US listed firms. Summary posted next week. Findings: ·         “OHSAS 18001 leads… Continue reading Certification to 18001 found to improve operational performance (safety, sales etc.) – especially for more complex and tightly coupled production processes

A recent post from Mark Fleming nicely highlighted how safely often goes unnoticed; that is, the things that create successful outcomes blend and integrate into normal work. This reminded me of this wonderful quote from Karl Weick, discussed by James Reason in the attached, that reliability, but also safety, are “dynamic non-events”. Weick argued that:… Continue reading Reliability and safety are “dynamic non-events” and “dynamic inputs create stable outcome”

A really interesting doctoral thesis from @dr simon Roberts, exploring: 1) the impact of zero harm messaging on organisational performance 2) zero harm C-suite messaging to investors and shareholders A range of data was obtained from the mining industry, including mid-year and end of year reports, sustainability reports, and analysis of meeting transcripts. I can… Continue reading Worker safety: zero harm messaging, reporting and the C-suite

This study evaluated the effectiveness of adopting certified OHSAS 18001 systems among 805 adopters versus 12k matched controls (non-adopters). Providing background: ·         Some research has highlighted a positive difference for organisations adopting certification, like adopters “more likely to enforce OHS rules and procedures than non-adopters were, and that the level of safety training was also… Continue reading Effectiveness of OHSAS 18001 in reducing accidents at work. A follow-up study of 13,102 workplaces

Another banger from Trevor Kletz on a similar theme to the last. He discusses the “missed opportunities” from accidents and investigations. Only covering a few items, so check out the full paper. 1. We find only a single cause, often the final triggering event 2. We find only immediate causes and do not look for… Continue reading Accident Investigations – Missed Opportunities

Another earlier (1995) banger from Don Norman and colleague on designing for error. This is a larger summary. Of course, there’s newer stuff since published but it’s still a solid read. It also has an elegant sentiment around what should be a cooperative approach between technical systems and people (e.g. instead of computers blurting out… Continue reading Designing for error

This new study systematically reviewed the literature on safety indicators and thematically analysed their descriptions, aiming to: Not a summary – but the paper is open access so you can read it yourself. From the paper: Ref: Bayramova, A., Edwards, D. J., Roberts, C., & Rillie, I. (2024). Unravelling the Gordian knot of leading indicators. Safety… Continue reading Unravelling the Gordian knot of leading indicators

Does adoption of an 18001 certified SMS improve safety performance following 3 years after implementation? Possibly not. 805 certification adopters were compared to 12k matched non-adopters. Summary posted next week. Key findings were:·         “This longitudinal register-based study could not confirm that workplaces adopting COHSMS reduce reportable severe accidents at work within a three-year follow-up” ·        “Already… Continue reading ISO 18001 certification not found to improve performance after 3 year follow-up

This is an interesting little 2011 paper from the late, great Trevor Kletz. He discusses “how not to investigate an accident” via a few principles. Some extracts: Ref: Kletz, T. (2011). How not to investigate an accident. Loss Prevention Bulletin, 219, 8-12. Shout me a coffee Study link: https://www.icheme.org/media/9290/xxii-paper-80.pdf My site with more reviews: https://safety177496371.wordpress.com LinkedIn post:… Continue reading How not to investigate an accident